Biotransformation of Phytosterols into Androstenedione-A Technological Prospecting Study.

Androstenedione (AD) is a key intermediate in the body's steroid metabolism, used as a precursor for several steroid substances, such as testosterone, estradiol, ethinyl estradiol, testolactone, progesterone, cortisone, cortisol, prednisone, and prednisolone. The world market for AD and ADD (androstadienedione) exceeds 1000 tons per year, which stimulates the pharmaceutical industry's search for newer and cheaper raw materials to produce steroidal compounds. In light of this interest, we aimed to investigate the progress of AD biosynthesis from phytosterols by prospecting scientific articles (Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases) and patents (USPTO database). A wide variety of articles and patents involving AD and phytosterol were found in the last few decades, resulting in 108 relevant articles (from January 2000 to December 2021) and 23 patents of interest (from January 1976 to December 2021). The separation of these documents into macro, meso, and micro categories revealed that most studies (articles) are performed in China (54.8%) and in universities (76%), while patents are mostly granted to United States companies. It also highlights the fact that AD production studies are focused on "process improvement" techniques and on possible modifications of the "microorganism" involved in biosynthesis (64 and 62 documents, respectively). The most-reported "process improvement" technique is "chemical addition" (40%), which means that the addition of solvents, surfactants, cofactors, inducers, ionic liquids, etc., can significantly increase AD production. Microbial genetic modifications stand out in the "microorganism" category because this strategy improves AD yield considerably. These documents also revealed the main aspects of AD and ADD biosynthesis: Mycolicibacterium sp. (basonym: Mycobacterium sp.) (40%) and Mycolicibacterium neoaurum (known previously as Mycobacterium neoaurum) (32%) are the most recurrent species studied. Microbial incubation temperatures can vary from 29 °C to 37 °C; incubation can last from 72 h to 14 days; the mixture is agitated at 140 to 220 rpm; vegetable oils, mainly soybean, can be used as the source of a mixture of phytosterols. In general, the results obtained in the present technological prospecting study are fundamental to mapping the possibilities of AD biosynthesis process optimization, as well as to identifying emerging technologies and methodologies in this scenario.

Supercritical Extraction of Red Propolis: Operational Conditions and Chemical Characterization.

The objective of this study was to determine the best operational conditions for obtaining red propolis extract with high antioxidant potential through supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) technology, using carbon dioxide (CO2) as the supercritical fluid and ethanol as the cosolvent. The following parameters were studied: overall extraction curve, S/F (mass of CO2/mass of sample), cosolvent percentage (0, 1, 2 and 4%) and global yield isotherms as a function of different pressures (250, 350 and 450 bar) and temperatures (31.7, 40 and 50 °C). Within the investigated parameters, the best conditions found were an S/F of 131 and the use of ethanol at the highest concentration (4% w/w), which resulted in higher extract yields and higher content of antioxidant compounds. Formononetin, the main biomarker of red propolis, was the compound found at the highest amounts in the extracts. As expected, the temperature and pressure conditions also influenced the process yield, with 350 bar and 40 °C being the best conditions for obtaining bioactive compounds from a sample of red propolis. The novel results for red propolis found in this study show that it is possible to obtain extracts with high antioxidant potential using a clean technology under the defined conditions.

Experimental study, simulation and technical-economic feasibility of an interesterification plant for hydrocarbons synthesis by using plastics and frying oil waste.

This work presents the experimental assessment of a 20 mL batch reactor's efficacy in converting plastic and oil residues into biofuels. The reactor, designed for ease of use, is heated using a metallic system. The experiments explore plastic solubilization at various temperatures and residence times, employing a mixture of distilled water and ethylene glycol as the solvent. Initial findings reveal that plastic solubilization requires a temperature of 350 °C with an ethylene glycol mole fraction of 0.35, whereas 250 °C suffices with a mole fraction of 0.58. Additionally, the study includes a process simulation of a plant utilizing a double fluidized bed gasifier and an economic evaluation of the interesterification/pyrolysis plant. Simulation results support project feasibility, estimating a total investment cost of approximately $12.99 million and annual operating expenses of around $17.98 million, with a projected payback period of about 5 years.

Design, Optimization, and Modeling Study of Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Purple-Fleshed Sweet Potatoes.

This study focuses on optimizing the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of bioactive compounds from purple-fleshed sweet potatoes (PFSP) for potential use as natural colorants. Factors such as time, temperature, and solid-to-liquid ratio were varied using a Box-Behnken Design. The optimal conditions were determined as 75 min, 70 °C, and a 1:15 m/v solid-to-liquid ratio, resulting in 18.372 mg/100 g total anthocyanin (TA) and 151.160 mg GAE/100 g total phenolic content (TPC). The validation yielded 18.822 mg/100 g for total anthocyanin and 162.174 mg GAE/100 g for total phenolic content, showing a 7% difference from predictions. UAE significantly increased TA extraction by 81% and TPC by 93% compared with the conventional method, with a notable reduction in process time from 24 h to 75 min. Additionally, three kinetic models were tested to compare extraction mechanisms, confirming the efficiency of UAE for PFSP bioactive compound recovery. This study proposes the UAE technique as a highly effective means of extracting bioactive compounds from PFSP, offering promising applications across multiple industries.

Environmentally Friendly New Catalyst Using Waste Alkaline Solution from Aluminum Production for the Synthesis of Biodiesel in Aqueous Medium.

Red mud (RM) is composed of a waste alkaline solution (pH = 13.3) obtained from the production of alumina. It contains high concentrations of hematite (Fe2O3), goethite (FeOOH), gibbsite [Al(OH)3], a boehmite (AlOOH), anatase (Tetragonal-TiO2), rutile (Ditetragonal dipyramidal-TiO2), hydrogarnets [Ca3Al2(SiO4)3-x(OH)4x], quartz (SiO2), and perovskite (CaTiO3). It was shown to be an excellent catalytic mixture for biodiesel production. To demonstrate the value of RM, an environmentally friendly process of transesterification in aqueous medium using waste cooking oil (WCO), MeOH, and waste alkaline solution (WAS) obtained from aluminum production was proposed. Triglycerides of WCO reacted with MeOH at 60 °C to yield mixtures of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) in the presence of 0.019% (w/w) WAS/WCO using the WAS (0.204 mol L-1, predetermined by potentiometric titration) from aluminum production by the Bayer process. The use of the new catalyst (WAS) resulted in a high yield of the products (greater than 99% yield).

Malignant Neoplasms Arising in the Cardiac Pacemaker Cavity: A Systematic Review.

Cancer is the abnormal proliferation of physiologically inadequate cells. Studies have identified the cardiac pacemaker pocket as a site of rare neoplasms. To evaluate the clinical outcomes, treatment, prognosis, and individualized management of tumors originating in the cardiac pacemaker pocket, a systematic review was conducted using case reports and case series available in the PubMed/Medline, Science Direct, Cochrane Central, LILACS, and Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo) databases. Pacemaker pocket tumors affected patients with a mean age of 72.9 years, with a higher incidence in males (76.9%, n = 10). The average time for neoplasm development was 4.4 years (54.07 months). The most prevalent model was Medtronic (38.4%, n = 5), with titanium (83.3%) being the most common metal composition. Chemotherapy was the most performed procedure among patients (38.4%), followed by radiation therapy (38.4%) and surgical tumor resection (30.7%). Six analyzed cases (46.1%) resulted in death, and four patients (30.7%) achieved a cure. Patients with pacemakers should be routinely evaluated for the occurrence of malignant tumors at the site of device implantation.

Development of Bacterial Cellulose Biocomposites Combined with Starch and Collagen and Evaluation of Their Properties.

One of the major benefits of biomedicine is the use of biocomposites as wound dressings to help improve the treatment of injuries. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to develop and characterize biocomposites based on bacterial cellulose (BC) with different concentrations of collagen and starch and characterize their thermal, morphological, mechanical, physical, and barrier properties. In total, nine samples were produced with fixed amounts of glycerol and BC and variations in the amount of collagen and starch. The water activity (0.400-0.480), water solubility (12.94-69.7%), moisture (10.75-20.60%), thickness (0.04-0.11 mm), water vapor permeability (5.59-14.06 × 10-8 g·mm/m2·h·Pa), grammage (8.91-39.58 g·cm-2), opacity (8.37-36.67 Abs 600 nm·mm-1), elongation (4.81-169.54%), and tensile strength (0.99-16.32 MPa) were evaluated and defined. In addition, scanning electron microscopy showed that adding biopolymers in the cellulose matrix made the surface compact, which also influenced the visual appearance. Thus, the performance of the biocomposites was directly influenced by their composition. The performance of the different samples obtained resulted in them having different potentials for application considering the injury type. This provides a solution for the ineffectiveness of traditional dressings, which is one of the great problems of the biomedical sector.

Enzymatic reactions in near critical CO2: The effect of pressure on phenol removal by tyrosinase.

The use of enzymes in supercritical CO(2) (SCCO(2)) has received extensive attention in recent years. Biocatalysts have the advantage of substrate specificity and SCCO(2) offers several advantages over liquid solvents. This work deals with the utilization of SCCO(2) as a medium for the enzymatic removal of phenol from aqueous solutions using tyrosinase. Since the presence of oxygen is crucial for the enzyme-catalyzed oxidation, the substantial solvating power of SCCO(2) makes it a promising medium for such reactions. The conversion of phenol was higher at 10 MPa. Under near critical conditions (7 MPa, 35 degrees C), the addition of air at 5 x 10(5) Pa of pressure improved phenol removal.

Organogenic nodule development in hop (Humulus lupulus L.): transcript and metabolic responses.

BACKGROUND: Hop (Humulus lupulus L.) is an economically important plant forming organogenic nodules which can be used for genetic transformation and micropropagation. We are interested in the mechanisms underlying reprogramming of cells through stress and hormone treatments. RESULTS: An integrated molecular and metabolomic approach was used to investigate global gene expression and metabolic responses during development of hop's organogenic nodules. Transcript profiling using a 3,324-cDNA clone array revealed differential regulation of 133 unigenes, classified into 11 functional categories. Several pathways seem to be determinant in organogenic nodule formation, namely defense and stress response, sugar and lipid metabolism, synthesis of secondary metabolites and hormone signaling. Metabolic profiling using 1H NMR spectroscopy associated to two-dimensional techniques showed the importance of metabolites related to oxidative stress response, lipid and sugar metabolism and secondary metabolism in organogenic nodule formation. CONCLUSION: The expression profile of genes pivotal for energy metabolism, together with metabolites profile, suggested that these morphogenic structures gain energy through a heterotrophic, transport-dependent and sugar-degrading anaerobic metabolism. Polyamines and auxins are likely to be involved in the regulation of expression of many genes related to organogenic nodule formation. These results represent substantial progress toward a better understanding of this complex developmental program and reveal novel information regarding morphogenesis in plants.

Transcriptional and metabolic profiling of grape (Vitis vinifera L.) leaves unravel possible innate resistance against pathogenic fungi.

Grapevine species (Vitis sp.) are prone to several diseases, fungi being the major pathogens compromising its cultivation and economic profit around the world. Knowledge of the complexity of mechanisms responsible for resistance to fungus infection of cultivars, such as Regent, is necessary for strategies to be defined which will improve resistance in highly susceptible crop species. Transcript and metabolic profiles of the Vitis vinifera cultivars Regent and Trincadeira (resistant and susceptible to fungi, respectively) were analysed by cDNA microarray, quantitative real-time PCR, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The integration of datasets obtained through transcriptome and metabolome analysis revealed differences in transcripts and metabolites between both cultivars. These differences are probably associated with the innate resistance of Regent towards the mildews. Several transcripts related to stress and defence, namely a subtilisin-like protease, phenylalanine ammonia lyase, S-adenosylmethionine synthase, WD-repeat protein like, and J2P, were up-regulated in Regent suggesting an intrinsic resistance capability of this cultivar. A metabolic profile revealed an accumulation of compounds such as inositol and caffeic acid, which are known to confer resistance to fungi. The differences in transcripts and metabolites detected are discussed in terms of the metabolic pathways and their possible role in plant defence against pathogen attack, as well as their potential interest to discriminate among resistant and susceptible grapevine cultivars.

Fungal transcript pattern during the preinfection stage (12 h) of ectomycorrhiza formed between Pisolithus tinctorius and Castanea sativa roots, identified using cDNA microarrays.

Transcriptional changes in Pisolithus tinctorius leading to ectomycorrhizal formation in P. tinctorius- Castanea sativa were investigated using a 12-h fungal interaction in vitro system. Using a 3107-cDNA clone microarray, 34 unique expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were found to be differentially expressed. These ESTs represent 14 known genes, 5 upregulated and 9 downregulated, and 20 orphan sequences. Some transcripts of upregulated genes (with unknown function) were previously identified in other mycorrhizal Pisolithus spp. associations. ESTs for S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase and several orphan sequences were identified in our system. The identified transcript of downregulated genes involved hydrophobins, 5S, 18S, and 28S ribosomal RNA genes, large subunits of ribosomal RNA (mitochondrial gene), and two types of heat shock proteins. This study demonstrates the high complexity of molecular events involved in the preinfection steps and suggests the utilization of different fungal gene repertories before ectomycorrhizal formation. These data constitute a first contribution for the molecular understanding of early signaling events between P. tinctorius and C. sativa roots during ectomycorrhizal formation.

Covid-19 and Heart Involvement: A Systematic Review of Literature

Abstract Background Recent reports in the literature have indicated that infection by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) causes cardiac complications, such as heart failure, arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, and even fulminant myocarditis. These complications have been identified as the cause of death in some patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Objectives To analyze echocardiographic and electrocardiographic changes, treatments used, and clinical outcomes in patients with myocarditis and COVID-19. Methods The items described for Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) were followed. This review included articles in English, Portuguese, and Spanish that reported cardiac involvement, injury, or myocardial inflammation in patients who acquired COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2). Results Five databases were consulted to find 1,726 articles. After applying the eligibility criteria, a total of 22 studies were considered qualified. ST-segment (section of the electrocardiogram corresponding the end of the S wave to the beginning of the T wave) elevation and tachyarrhythmia were the most common changes found in the electrocardiographic analysis of patients affected with COVID-19. Concerning echocardiography, there was a high frequency of decreased ejection fraction and occurrence of pericardial effusion. Conclusion This systematic review provides a potential tool for the analysis of cardiac changes and implications caused in patients affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection, with emphasis on the presence of tachyarrhythmia on electrocardiogram (ECG) and decreased ejection fraction on echocardiogram.

Production of 1,3-propanediol by Clostridium beijerinckii DSM 791 from crude glycerol and corn steep liquor: Process optimization and metabolic engineering.

1,3-Propanediol (1,3-PDO) production from crude glycerol, a byproduct from biodiesel manufacturing, by Clostridium beijerinckii DSM 791 was studied with corn steep liquor as an inexpensive nitrogen source replacing yeast extract in the fermentation medium. A stable, long-term 1,3-PDO production from glycerol was demonstrated with cells immobilized in a fibrous bed bioreactor operated in a repeated batch mode, which partially circumvented the 1,3-PDO inhibition problem. The strain was then engineered to overexpress Escherichia coli gldA encoding glycerol dehydrogenase (GDH) and dhaKLM encoding dihydroxyacetone kinase (DHAK), which increased 1,3-PDO productivity by 26.8-37.5% compared to the wild type, because of greatly increased specific growth rate (0.25-0.40h(-1) vs. 0.13-0.20h(-1) for the wild type). The engineered strain gave a high 1,3-PDO titer (26.1g/L), yield (0.55g/g) and productivity (0.99g/L·h) in fed-batch fermentation. Overexpressing GDH and DHAK was thus effective in increasing 1,3-PDO production from glycerol.

Evaluation of the composition of Carica papaya L. seed oil extracted with supercritical CO2.

Among the most important tropical fruit grown in the world today and in Brazil, papaya occupies a prominent place. Native to tropical America, papaya has spread to several regions of the world, and Brazil accounts for 12.74% of the world production, followed by Mexico, Nigeria and India. The culture reached a harvested area of 441,042 ha and production of 12,420,585 t worldwide. The largest interest in this fruit relies on its main constituent compounds, like vitamins A, B and C, alkaloids (carpaine and pseudocarpaine), proteolytic enzymes (papain and quimiopapain) and benzyl isothiocyanate, more known as BITC, which has anthelmintic activity. Because of that, the present work has as objective the evaluation of the efficiency and composition of the oil extracted from Carica papaya L. seeds with supercritical carbon dioxide. The experiments were performed in a unit containing mainly a high-pressure pump and a stainless steel extractor with 42 mL of volume. The sampling was performed at each 20 min until the saturation of the process. About 6.5 g of sample were fed for each experiment done at 40, 60 and 80 °C under the pressures of 100, 150 and 200 bar. Samples of the Carica papaya L. fruit were acquired in a popular market and free for personal use intended for the study. After collection, the seeds were crushed with the help of a pestle, and dried at 60 °C for 60 min. For each operational condition, the extraction curves were constructed relating cumulative mass of oil extracted in function of the operational time. The better efficiencies were found at 40 °C and 200 bar (1.33%) followed by 80 °C and 200 bar (2.56%). Gas chromatography and NMR analysis could identify an insecticide component (BITC) that enables new applications of this residue in pharmaceutical and chemical industries.

Production of biodiesel via enzymatic ethanolysis of the sunflower and soybean oils: modeling.

Biodiesel has become attractive due to its environmental benefits compared with conventional diesel. Although the enzymatic synthesis of biodiesel requires low thermal energy, low conversions of enzymatic transesterification with ethanol (ethanolysis) of oils to produce biodiesel are reported as a result of deactivation of the enzyme depending on the reaction conditions. The synthesis of biodiesel via enzymatic ethanolysis of sunflower and soybean oils was investigated. Kinetic parameters for the overall reactions were fitted to experimental data available in the literature with the Ping Pong Bi-Bi mechanism including the inhibition effect of the ethanol on the activity of lipase Novozyme 435. The model was applied to a batch reactor and the experimental conversions were successfully reproduced. The modeling of a semibatch reactor with continuous addition of ethanol was also performed and the results showed a reduction of roughly 3 h in the reaction time in comparison with the batch-wise operation.

Blastomicose sul-americana pulmonar em Pernambuco: relato de um caso e discussäo dos aspectos epidemiológicos e diagnósticos / Pulmonary South American blastomycosis in Pernambuco (Brazil): report of a case; epidemiological and diagnostic aspects

A paracoccidioidomicose tem sido raramente descrita em Pernambuco. Relata-se um caso autóctone de um paciente masculino de 47 anos, com história de dez meses de tosse produtiva com ocasionais laivos de sangue, rouquidäo e dispnéia aos grandes esforços. Exames bacteriológicos e micológicos da secreçäo brônquica eram negativos e o diagnóstico de paracoccidioidomicose foi estabelecido por biopsia pulmonar através de toracotomia. Foi tratado com sulfametoxipirazina e o exame radiológico, 14 meses após, revelou acentuada regressäo das lesöes, coincidindo com a melhoria do estado clínico. Esse caso chama a atençäo para a necessidade de se ter em mente a possibilidade deste diagnóstico como causa de infecçöes respiratórias, sobretudo no diagnóstico diferencial de tuberculose pulmonar

Avaliaçäo da mediastinoscopia em 181 casos / Evaluation of mediastinoscopy in 181 cases

É analisada a validade da mediastinoscopia em 181 casos de afecçöes torácicas. A técnica descrita por Carlens foi usada em 180 pacientes com anestesia geral e em um com anestesia local. As indicaçöes do procedimento säo reunidas em duas metas básicas: (a) diagnóstico primário de lesöes mediastinais e/ou pulmonares ainda sem esclarecimento e (b) avaliaçäo da ressecabilidade do câncer do pulmäo. Conclui-se que: 1§ - só é possível determinar com segurança a irressecabilidade antes da cirurgia quando há acentuada infiltraçäo perinodal ou do próprio mediastino; 2§ - a melhor indicaçäo é a pesquisa diagnóstica primária de afecçöes torácicas. As complicaçöes säo irrelevantes

Ressecçäo da estenose iatrogênica da traqueia / Resection of iatrogenic stenosis of the trachea

Os autores analisam a cirurgia de ressecçäo de traquéia, nos casos de estenose iatrogênica causadas por tubos e cânulas. Chamam a atençäo para os notáveis trabalhos de Grillo desde 1964. Denominam essa cirurgia de operaçäo de Grillo, dado o mérito desse autor no desenvolvimento técnico aprimorado da tática operatória de ressecçäo traqueal com anastomose primária. Consideram no método as bases anatômicas, sobretudo no que tange à vascularizaçäo, as bases anatomopatológicas, a técnica cirúrgica e os métodos de anastomose. Com dois casos ilustrativos discutem os principais macetes do êxito cirúrgico: a boa tomografia, a endoscopia e a dilataçäo com anestesia local, a antibioticoterapia, a anestesia com halotane, sem barbitúricos e relaxantes, com manutençäo da respiraçäo espontânea, a utilizaçäo do fio de traçäo nos cotos de anastomose, a dissecçäo da traquéia em sua face anterior, e, às vezes, na posterior, até a carina, o cuidado de näo se tocar na vascularizaçäo lateral, e a sutura do queixo à pele da regiäo esternal, com o pescoço em flexäo, para salvaguardar a anastomose no pós-operatório

Poemas

Poesías