Search

In a patient with interstitial lung disease (ILD) of known or unknown etiology other than idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) is defined by worsening lung fibrosis on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), decline in lung function, and/or deterioration in symptoms. The INBUILD trial involved 663 patients with PPF who were randomized to receive nintedanib or placebo. The median exposure to trial medication was approximately 19 months. The INBUILD trial provided valuable learnings about the course of PPF and the efficacy and safety of nintedanib. The relative effect of nintedanib on reducing the rate of forced vital capacity decline was consistent across subgroups based on ILD diagnosis, HRCT pattern, and disease severity at baseline, and between patients who were and were not taking glucocorticoids or disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and/or glucocorticoids at baseline. The adverse events most frequently associated with nintedanib were gastrointestinal, particularly diarrhea, but nintedanib was discontinued in only a minority of cases. The results of the INBUILD trial highlight the importance of prompt detection and treatment of PPF and the utility of nintedanib as a treatment option.

Background/Objective: To investigate the effect of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and rituximab (RTX) on pulmonary function test (PFT) results in a mixed cohort of patients with connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD), longitudinally followed up for 1 year in a single academic center. Methods: Patients with CTD-ILD were identified in electronic medical records from 1 January 2009 to 30 April 2019. Prescribed MMF and RTX doses, dosage changes, and therapy plans were analyzed individually with improvement in PFT outcomes determined using multivariable linear regression models during 12-month follow-up. Results: Forty-seven patients with CTD-ILD, treated with MMF, RTX, or both, were included. Patients on combined MMF and RTX had worse PFT outcomes at baseline compared with patients on monotherapy. Substantial improvement was observed among all PFT outcomes from baseline to 12 months, regardless of medication dosage or therapy plans. The diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO) worsened by an average of 7.21 mL/(min*mmHg) (95% CI, 4.08–10.33; p < 0.001) among patients on RTX compared to combined therapy. Patients on higher doses of MMF at baseline experienced an average increase of 0.93 (95% CI, 0.04–1.82) units in DLCO from baseline to 6 months (p = 0.04) and a 2.79% (95% CI, 0.61–4.97%) increase in DLCO from 6 to 12 months (p = 0.02) within patients on concurrent RTX at 6-month follow-up. Conclusions: The treatment of CTD-ILD with MMF and/or RTX was associated with overall improvement in PFT outcomes. Combined therapy resulted in significant improvements in DLCO compared with monotherapy. Higher doses of MMF also provided greater improvements in DLCO.

Abstract Introduction Survivors of SARS‐CoV‐2 pneumonia often develop persistent respiratory symptom and interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) after infection. Risk factors for ILA development and duration of ILA persistence after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection are not well described in immunocompromised hosts, such as cancer patients. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study of 95 patients at a major cancer center and 45 patients at a tertiary referral center. We collected clinical and radiographic data during the index hospitalization for COVID‐19 pneumonia and measured pneumonia severity using a semi‐quantitative radiographic score, the Radiologic Severity Index (RSI). Patients were evaluated in post‐COVID‐19 clinics at 3 and 6 months after discharge and underwent comprehensive pulmonary evaluations (symptom assessment, chest computed tomography, pulmonary function tests, 6‐min walk test). The association of clinical and radiological factors with ILAs at 3 and 6 months post‐discharge was measured using univariable and multivariable logistic regression. Results Sixty‐six (70%) patients of cancer cohort had ILAs at 3 months, of whom 39 had persistent respiratory symptoms. Twenty‐four (26%) patients had persistent ILA at 6 months after hospital discharge. In adjusted models, higher peak RSI at admission was associated with ILAs at 3 (OR 1.5 per 5‐point increase, 95% CI 1.1–1.9) and 6 months (OR 1.3 per 5‐point increase, 95% CI 1.1–1.6) post‐discharge. Fibrotic ILAs (reticulation, traction bronchiectasis, and architectural distortion) were more common at 6 months post‐discharge. Conclusions Post‐COVID‐19 ILAs are common in cancer patients 3 months after hospital discharge, and peak RSI and older age are strong predictors of persistent ILAs.

Pulmonary nocardiosis is a severe and uncommon opportunistic infection caused by Nocardia species. We present a patient with cryptogenic organizing pneumonia who was receiving long-term immunosuppressive therapy, whose treatment course was complicated by cutaneous and pulmonary nocardiosis. Tissue cultures confirmed Nocardia brasiliensis. Nocardiosis should be a diagnostic consideration for patients treated with long-term immunosuppression who have worsening pulmonary symptoms and relapsing pustular skin lesions.

Pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) is a known complication after catheter ablation of arrhythmias. Surprisingly, little information is available on its manifestations in the lung. We describe the case of a 39-year-old woman who presented from an outside hospital with worsening shortness of breath after catheter ablation of pulmonary veins for atrial fibrillation. After an initial diagnosis of pneumonia and its nonimprovement with antibiotics, a surgical lung biopsy was done and interpreted as nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) with vascular changes consistent with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Later, she was admitted to our institution where a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) and subsequent computed tomography (CT) angiogram of the heart showed severe stenosis of all four pulmonary veins. The previous lung biopsy was rereviewed and reinterpreted as severe parenchymal congestion mimicking NSIP. Our case demonstrates that PVS is an underrecognized complication of catheter ablation, and increased awareness among both clinicians and pathologists is necessary to avoid misdiagnosis.

Abstract Background Anti-PD-(L)1 agent are approved as first- and second-line treatment options in advanced urothelial cancer (UC), but information about long-term survival is scarce. There is a need for prognostic factors, as these may help in the decision-making concerning anti-PD-(L)1 in patients with UC. Here, we examined long-term survival following anti-PD-(L)1 in advanced UC and assessed clinical factors for their correlation with survival. Methods We collected data from patients with advanced UC treated with anti-PD-(L)1 between 2013 and 2023. Overall- and progression-free survival (OS, PFS) were determined using the Kaplan-Meier method. Independent variables were analysed by uni- and multivariate Cox regression for their association with OS and PFS. Results Survival analyses included 552 patients. Patient characteristics in our cohort were consistent with those of a typical advanced UC population. After median follow-up of 49 months, five-year OS and PFS rates were 16.0% and 6.9% respectively. The absence of visceral and/or bone metastases and elevated C-reactive protein level, gamma-glutamyltransferase level and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were identified as favourable prognostic factors for OS. Conclusions A selected subset of patients with advanced UC may experience long-term clinical benefit from anti-PD-(L)1 treatment. We identified prognostic factors that might be used for risk assessment and clinical trial stratification.

Background: Complete pathological response to neoadjuvant treatment (NAT) in breast cancer is associated with prolonged survival. Compared to other breast cancer immunophenotypes, luminal tumors are the least chemosensitive with low rates of pathological response within this molecular subtype. Thus, finding predictors of response in this subset remains challenging. The emerging concept of low human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression has led to a repurpose of the current prognostic system. Little is known about its correlation with response to NAT. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate predictors of response in early-stage luminal breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Design: A total of 252 luminal patients who received NAT were retrospectively assessed in this cohort study. Methods: We analyzed the correlation of ki67 and HER2 low expression with the rate of pathologic response. Using ki67 as a continuous variable and applying the receiver operating characteristic curves method. Results: We identified that in patients with a ki67 expression level >37%, the probability of having a complete pathological response was 4.80 times higher (odds ratio = 4.80, 95% confidence interval: 1.92–12.04). In Her2-low breast cancer patients, Her2 expression did not correlate with a better response rate. Conclusion: In our study, a ki67 expression value greater than 37% constitutes a predictive biomarker of pathological complete response in the subgroup of patients with luminal B tumors and could be considered, therefore, an indicator for treatment decisions in this subgroup.

Introduction: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare entity, classified within soft tissue sarcomas. It is an intermediate malignancy tumor, which seldom presents as metastatic disease. The treatment of choice is surgery, except in cases where surgery is not possible due to localization or if it presents with metastatic disease. Approximately 50% of IMTs will exhibit ALK translocation, providing a therapeutic target for these patients. Case Presentation: A case is presented of a patient with metastatic IMT in complete response to treatment with alectinib, maintained for over 4 years. Conclusion: This case showed a long time complete response in patient with IMT treated with alectinib.

Introduction: Endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) is a rare tumor that remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to physicians worldwide. The metastatic setting implies a poor prognosis, with a 5-year survival rate below 40%. Patients with advanced-stage high-grade ESS (HG-ESS) have limited therapeutic options, often involving various chemotherapy regimens. Case Presentation: This report depicts the case of a 47-year-old female diagnosed with HG-ESS. She underwent several lines of treatment starting with radiotherapy and brachytherapy, followed by multiple lines of treatment including trabectedin over several months. After retreatment with trabectedin and achieving disease stabilization for 10 months, treatment was optimized by trabectedin combined with radiotherapy, leading to stable disease that is still ongoing and lasts for over 17 months. Conclusion: Our case underscores the challenging nature of treating patients with HG-ESS and highlights the safety of long-term retrial with trabectedin, coupled with radiotherapy administration. This approach maintained a durable stable disease response in the metastatic setting.

Research is advancing regarding techniques that are based on natural products developed using the plants. Extracellular DNA (eDNA) is a potential alternative that can be used as active material in agronomy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of self-eDNA using fertigation in lettuce plants as a biostimulant. Five fertigation treatments were used: 0 (control), 0.025, 0.25, 2.5 and 25 mg self-eDNA per plant. Fertigation was monitored through drainage fraction, pH and EC. The benefits of fertigation were evaluated using water, nitrate and potassium uptake, and growth. There was a significant correlation between fertigation uptake and growth. The highest correlation (R2 = 0.96) occurred between water uptake and growth. There was a quadratic fit between uptake and production parameters and the dose of self-eDNA applied. Mean drainage values showed no significant differences between treatments for EC and pH. The highest values of fertigation uptake (water, nitrate and potassium) and growth were observed at doses of 0.25 and 2.5 mg self-eDNA. Doses lower than 0.25 decreased by 21.3%, while doses higher than 2.5 decreased by 16.4%. Self-eDNA had beneficial effects as a biostimulant and potentially had an appropriate cost–benefit ratio.

Although the use of microalgae-based wastewater treatment (MWWT) processes is demonstrated to recover nutrients and produce clean water for agriculture, very scarce evidence of this use has been reported. This work aims to solve this gap and provide reliable data at this respect. For that, raceway reactor was operated in continuous mode for the treatment of municipal wastewater, the recovery of nutrients and water, and the production of biomass. After confirming the accomplishment of regulation for water discharge the treated water was evaluated for its use as irrigation water for lettuce, using both clean water and untreated wastewater as control. The microbiological quality of inlet and outlet water was analyzed by evaluating the total load and bacterial composition. Fertigation parameters, nutrient absorption and yield were measured. The wastewater treatment step confirms removal rates of 50 gCOD m-2·day-1, 1.7 gN m-2·day-1 and 0.8 gP m-2·day-1, in addition to a biomass production rate of 23 gbiomass·m-2·day-1, moreover the accomplishment of water discharge limits. Treatment with microalgae shows an improvement in the composition of bacterial taxa. The use of this water enhanced the root absorption of water and nitrate. The lower value of the drainage electrical conductivity when using water from MWWT indicates a higher metabolic activity in the roots, due to an increase in the absorption of nutrient ions concerning the volume of water absorbed. The treated water with microalgae was the treatment that showed the highest growth values (fresh and dry weight). Wastewater treatment process demonstrated to be efficient and releases up to 165,000 m3·ha-1·year-1 of clean water for irrigation. The use of MWWT processes has shown an increase in the beneficial bacterial load, the yield of the crops and to decrease the environmental pollution, therefore it is a clear example of an activity to be considered in the circular economy.

A comprehensive analysis of outdoor weathering and soil burial of cork during 1-year experiments was carried out with measurements of CIELAB color parameters, cellular observations by scanning electron microscopy, and surface chemical features analysed by ATR-FTIR and wet chemical analysis. Cork applied in outdoor conditions above and below ground retained its physical structure and integrity without signs of deterioration or fracturing. The cellular structure was maintained with some small changes at the one-cell layer at the surface, featuring cellular expansion and minute cell wall fractures. Surface color and chemistry showed distinct results for outdoor exposure and soil burial. The weathered cork surfaces acquired a lighter color while the soil buried cork surfaces became darker. With outdoor weathering, the cork polar solubles increased (13.0% vs. 7.6% o.d. mass) while a substantial decrease of lignin occurred (about 28% of the original lignin was removed) leading to a suberin-enriched cork surface. The chemical impact on lignin is therefore responsible for the surface change towards lighter colors. Soil-burial induced hydrolysis of ester bonds of suberin and xylan, and the lignin-enriched cork surface displayed a dark brown color. FTIR and wet chemical results were consistent. Overall cork showed a considerable structural and physical stability that allows its application in outdoor conditions, namely for building façades or other surfacing applications. Architects and designers should take into account the color dynamics of the cork surfaces.

Parinari curatellifolia is an important evergreen tree from the Miombo woodland of south-central and eastern Africa. The bark is corky, suggesting an increased protection against the ecosystem high temperatures and drought conditions as well as against wild fires. The cork in the bark rhytidome of P. curatellifolia was analyzed here for the first time with a focus on chemical and cellular features. P. curatellifolia cork has the cellular characteristics of cork tissues, with typical honeycomb structure in the tangential section and a brick-wall layer in the transverse and radial sections, without intercellular voids. Chemically P. curatellifolia cork has 8.4 % extractives, 33.9 % suberin, 31.9 % lignin and 25.2 % polysaccharides of the cork. The hemicelluloses are mostly xylans, with a substantial proportion of arabinose and galactose. Suberin showed a proportion of long chain lipids to glycerol (LCLip:Gly, mass ratio) of 8.5, and the long chain monomeric composition included a similar proportion of α,ω-diacids and ω-hydroxy acids (35.4 % and 31.5 % of long chain monomers) with a substantial proportion of monoacids (19.4 % of long chain monomers). Lignin is a guaiacyl-syringyl lignin with S/G of 0.32 and H:G:S of 1:14.1:4.5. The rhytidome composition and the cellular and chemical features of its cork are in line with environment-targeted protective features namely as a transpiration and insulation barrier, and as an increased fire protection.

La recherche-action-participative Capdroits vise à réduire les inégalités de pouvoir inhérentes aux injustices épistémiques en proposant des modalités de recherche symétrisant les savoirs des personnes concernées par des situations de handicap, de maladie ou de dépendances, des acteur·e·s de la relation d’aide et de soin (proches ou professionnel·le·s), et des professionnel·le·s de la recherche en sciences sociales et juridiques. Elle repose sur des principes de réciprocité, d’empowerment, et d’identification de gains. Nous nous centrons dans cet article sur l’une des étapes centrales des pratiques de recherche, à savoir celles de leurs publications et des enjeux d’auteurisation qui soulèvent des questions de reconnaissance scientifique et politique. Nos analyses reposent sur une forme d’auto-ethnographie collective.

This study presents for the first time an analysis of the content and chemical composition of the cuticular waxes and cutin in the leaves of the widespread and important tropical species Terminalia catappa. The leaves were collected in the equatorial Atlantic islands of São Tomé and Príncipe, in the Gulf of Guinea. The epicuticular and intracuticular waxes were determined via dichloromethane extraction and their chemical composition via GC-MS analysis, and the content and monomeric composition of cutin were determined after depolymerization via methanolysis. The leaves contained an epidermal cuticular coverage of 52.8 μg cm−2 of the cuticular waxes (1.4% of mass) and 63.3 μg cm−2 (1.5% of mass) of cutin. Cuticular waxes include mainly n-alkanols and fatty acids, with a substantial proportion of terpenes in the more easily solubilized fraction, and sterols in the more embedded waxes. Cutin is mostly constituted by C16 fatty acids and dihydroxyacids, also including aromatic monomers, suggesting a largely linear macromolecular arrangement. The high proportion of triacontanol, α-amyrin, β-amyrin, germanicol, and lupeol in the easily solubilized cuticular fraction may explain the bioactive properties attributed to the T. catappa leaves via the popular medicine, which allows us to consider them as a potential source for the extraction of these compounds.

The use of microorganisms capable of promoting the growth and development of crops is generating interest at a global level as a sustainable technique in modern agriculture, especially in intensive farming systems, where the excessive use of synthetic fertilizers has led to environmental problems. The objective of this research was to evaluate the biofertilizing power of formulations enriched with plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) (Azotobacter spp. to fix N and strains of Bacillus spp. to solubilize P and K not bioavailable for plants) to improve the fertility, quality, and productivity of a tomato crop and their potential use as an alternative to conventional fertilizers. Thus, NPK levels in soils, leaves, and fruits were evaluated; various parameters of fruit quality were measured; and an exhaustive analysis of the production and economic yields of the harvest was carried out. The results showed that the periodic supply of biofertilizers based on PGPB increased the harvest yield (20–32%) and favored the development of larger fruit sizes, which are economically more valuable, and the incomes increased even more than production (32–52%). The biofertilizers also demonstrated a positive effect on the solubilization of P and K in the soil, and the levels of P in leaves were also promoted. The capacity to mobilize the nutrients from soil to fruits was clearly favored when PGPB were inoculated periodically, and a reduction of up to 20% in synthetic fertilizers was accomplished (16, 34, and 23% increases for N, P, and K, respectively, against the treatment without PGPB and no fertigation reduction). Finally, the use of PGPB did not show appreciable differences regarding fruit quality parameters.

We examined fungal communities in soil profiles of 0–10 cm depth along the altitudinal gradient of 250–530–990 m.a.s.l. at the Central Negev Desert, Israel, which benefit from similar annual precipitation (95 mm). In the soil samples collected in the summer of 2020, a mycobiota accounting for 169 species was revealed by both culture-dependent and culture-independent (DNA-based) methodologies. The impact of soil depth on the variations in fungal communities was stronger than the impact of altitude. Both methodologies displayed a similar tendency in the composition of fungal communities: the prevalence of melanin-containing species with many-celled large spores (mainly Alternaria spp.) in the uppermost layers and the depth-wise increase in the proportion of light-colored species producing a high amount of small one-celled spores. The culturable and the DNA-based fungal communities had only 13 species in common. The differences were attributed to the pros and cons of each method. Nevertheless, despite the drawbacks, the employment of both methodologies has an advantage in providing a more comprehensive picture of fungal diversity in soils.

Abstract Background Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery is one of the most efficient procedures for the treatment of obesity, also improving metabolic and inflammatory status, in patients with mild obesity. The underlying mechanisms have not been fully understood, but gut microbiota is hypothesized to play a key role. Our aim was to evaluate the association between gut microbiota changes and anthropometric, metabolic and inflammatory profiles after metabolic surgery compared with medical therapy, in type 2 diabetic (T2DM) adults with mild obesity (BMI 30–35 kg/m2). Methods DM2 was an open-label, randomised controlled clinical trial (RCT: ISRCTN53984585) with 2 arms: (i) surgical, and (ii) medical. The main outcome was gut microbiota changes after: metabolic surgery (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass—RYGB) versus standard medical therapy. Secondary outcomes included anthropometric, metabolic and inflammatory profiles. Clinical visits, blood workup, and stool samples were collected at baseline and months (M)1, 3, 6, 12. Gut microbiota was profiled using 16S rRNA targeted sequencing. Results Twenty patients were included: 10 in surgical and 10 in medical arm. Anthropometric and metabolic comparative analysis favoured RYGB over medical arm. At M12, the percentage of weight loss was 25.5 vs. 4.9% (p

One strategy presented as an alternative to avoid using chemical substances in soil disinfestation consists in the technique of biosolarization. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effect of seasonality on the effectiveness of biosolarization with different organic amendments for the control of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae (FOLAC) on lettuce plants, and to compare the results obtained using a classical soil infectivity bioassay and a qPCR-based molecular technique. None of the plants subjected to biosolarization in the summer season (469–700 and 0–463 h with temperature > 42 °C at 15 and 30 cm soil depth, respectively) showed damage by the pathogen except the untreated control. Conversely, in autumn (3–5 and 0–0 h at temperature = 38–40 °C at 15 and 30 cm soil depth, respectively), only two biosolarization treatments (wheat + semi-composted manure, sunflower pellets) that reduced FOLAC inoculum in soil and plants did not show any disease at the lowest depth (15 cm) in the soil infectivity bioassay. This same result was only obtained at 30 cm soil depth in the biosolarization treatment with sunflower pellets. The number of FOLAC sequences per gram of soil determined with qPCR was null in the biosolarization treatments in summer at both soil depths and corresponded to the absence of disease in the soil infectivity bioassay. A threshold of 145 sequences per gram of soil determined by the qPCR-based molecular technique corresponded to the presence of 10% of diseased lettuce plants infected by FOLAC. Therefore, this molecular technique has been shown to be useful for establishing the soil inoculum thresholds required for crop infection by pathogens, while reducing the time and execution tasks necessary to perform soil infectivity bioassays.

Low-intensity burnings could be an effective silvicultural tool to prevent the occurrence and severity of wildfires. Nevertheless, their use as a forest fuel reduction tool may have a negative impact on soil properties. The aim of this investigation was to study the impact of a low-intensity prescribed fire on the main chemical properties of the soil (pH, electrical conductivity, and total organic carbon), and the diversity and composition of the soil bacterial communities in a semi-arid forest in SE Spain. Two similar stands were treated with a low-intensity prescribed burn in spring and autumn 2018 and were compared to an unburned stand. All soil samples were collected at the same time (autumn 2018). The chemical properties of the soil showed no significant differences between the prescribed burns and the control forest. Shannon and Pielou’s diversity indices presented values significantly lower in the burned soils compared to the control. Prescribed burning did not modify soil bacterial community structure at the phylum level, but NMDS analysis did reveal a difference between soil bacterial communities at the genus level. Both prescribed burnings favoured some bacterial taxa over others, suggesting different thermal and bacterial resistance. The presence of Massilia, Pseudomonas and Arthrobacter could suggest a short-term ecosystem recovery. Therefore, prescribed burning in semi-arid forests could be suitable as a preventive tool against wildfires.

ABSTRACT The application of organic amendments to mining soils has been shown to be a successful method of restoration, improving key physicochemical soil properties. However, there is a lack of a clear understanding of the soil bacterial community taxonomic and functional changes that are brought about by these treatments. We present further metagenomic sequencing (MGS) profiling of the effects of different restoration treatments applied to degraded, arid quarry soils in southern Spain which had previously been profiled only with 16S rRNA gene (16S) and physicochemical analyses. Both taxonomic and functional MGS profiles showed clear separation of organic treatment amendments from control samples, and although taxonomic differences were quite clear, functional redundancy was higher than expected and the majority of the latter signal came from the aggregation of minor (

Introducción: A pesar de las múltiples campañas realizadas por las instituciones de salud y otras instancias de la sociedad civil, no se ha logrado que la población activa sexualmente lo utilice como medida para prevenir Enfermedades de Transmisión Sexual (ETS) incluido el VIH/SIDA, la resistencia al uso del condón de acuerdo a la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS, 2000) se debe a creencias sociales y culturales. Objetivo: Determinar el comportamiento sexual y uso del condón por una población de universitarios. Métodos: Estudio cuantitativo, descriptivo, transversal con muestreo no probabilístico a conveniencia con 687 participantes. Se aplicó el instrumento información confidencial con 8 ítems Resultados: participaron 414 mujeres, el 270 hombres y 3 otros; el 24.7% contestó que usa condón siempre, 29.2% algunas veces y 46.1% contestó que nunca usa condón. Conclusiones: El comportamiento de los participantes muestra que la mayoría son sexualmente activos, sin embargo un alto porcentaje no utiliza condón.

The restoration of unproductive abandoned agricultural soils under a semi-arid climate in southeastern Spain was evaluated. Four organic amendments from different composted wastes (greenhouse crop residues; worm compost from sheep–cow manure and plant remains; chicken manure; and sheep–chicken manure and plant remain) were applied, untreated control plots were installed, and natural unexploited soils were selected as a reference ecosystem. Through three sampling campaigns (initial, 3 months, and 12 months), significant changes were observed in soil physico-chemical properties, nutrient content (carbon -C-, nitrogen -N-, and phosphorus -P-), and bacterial composition of the restored soils with respect to control and natural soil, especially at 3 months. The increase of labile nutrients caused the proliferation of copiotrophic phyla at 3 months, which, after their consumption, were replaced by oligotrophic phyla at 12 months. Specific taxa involved in C, N, and P cycles were identified for each soil. For the soil bacterial composition of vermicompost, only chicken and sheep–chicken manures were more dissimilar to control and natural soils after 12 months, while greenhouse crop compost showed an intermediate position between them. Results indicated that composted greenhouse crop remains could be an optimal treatment for the short-term recovery of physico-chemical properties, nutrient content, and bacterial composition of agriculture-degraded soils in semi-arid areas.

This study analyzes the content and chemical profile of extractives present in the young phloem of mature trees of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) and stone pine (P. pinea) in three sites in Portugal located in different climatic environments.The cross-sites average of extractives was similar in both pines with 38.5% in P. pinea and 37.7% in P. pinaster phloem. The hydrophilic fraction represented 82% and 70% of P. pinea and P. pinaster total extractives respectively, with large contents of phenolic compounds, flavonoids and tannins, and showed very high oxygen scavenging and reducing ability. Lipophilic extractives were present in higher proportion in P. pinaster phloem than in P. pinea phloem, and showed a large content of resin acids, with the predominance of abietic acid in P. pinaster, and dehydroabietic acid in P. pinea phloems, and of alkanoic acids.P. pinaster and P. pinea have specific defences related to phloem production of resin and phenolic compounds with the ratio phenolic-to-oleoresin compounds higher for P. pinea (4.7 vs 2.3 for P. pinaster) and constant in the three sites. The phytochemical content and composition of the young phloem of P. pinaster and P. pinea showed site differences highlighting the relationship between environment and metabolic production.

España es un país dominado mayoritariamente por un clima de tipo mediterráneo, donde los veranos secos anuales se alternan con períodos largos ocasionales de sequía pluviométrica. Esta irregularidad en el régimen de precipitaciones ha generado graves problemas socioeconómicos a lo largo de la historia, debido al peso que el sector agrario ha tenido, y tiene, en muchas regiones del país. Aquí se presentan algunas maneras con las que el sector agrario se ha ido adaptando a esta limitación ambiental a diferentes escalas (gobierno, región y finca), en particular en la segunda mitad del siglo XX, gracias a los avances tecnológicos. Ejemplos de la planificación gubernamental de conversión de tierras en regadío en base a construcción de embalses o canales, adaptaciones a escala regional de tierras agrícolas, o construcción de infraestructuras clave a nivel de finca para mejorar la productividad de las mismas, son algunos de los casos paradigmáticos aquí tratados.

In this study, Pelvetia canaliculata L. macroalga, collected from the Atlantic Portuguese coast, was used as a source of bioactive compounds, mostly antioxidants, to incorporate them in sunflower oil with the aim of increasing its biological value and oxidative stability. The lyophilized alga was added to the oil, and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was performed. Algae concentration and UAE time varied following a central composite rotatable design (CCRD) to optimize extraction conditions. The following parameters were analyzed in the oils: oxidation products, acidity, color, chlorophyll pigments, carotenoids, flavonoids, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) assays, and sensory analysis. Extraction conditions did not affect the acidity and the amount of oxidation products in the oil. Chlorophylls and carotenoid contents increased with algae concentration, while flavonoid extraction did not depend on algae content or UAE time. Total phenolics in the oil were highly related only to FRAP antioxidant activity. Storage experiments of supplemented oil (12.5% algae; 20 min UAE) were carried out under accelerated oxidation conditions at 60 °C/12 days. Antioxidant activity (FRAP) of supplemented oil was 6-fold higher than the value of non-supplemented oil. Final samples retained 40% of their initial antioxidant activity. The presence of algae extracts contributed to the increased oxidative stability of sunflower oil.

The bark of Goupia glabra trees grown in a native forest area in the Amazon region of Brazil was anatomically and chemically characterised for potential use as a chemical source for bio-refineries. The bark is silvery-grey to reddish-grey, with a scaly rhytidome composed of 2 to 3 periderms with a small phellem content. The phloem has abundant sieve tube members and a conspicuous presence of sclerified nodules of fiber-sclereids or sclereids; no fibers were observed. The bark had the following average composition (dry mass): 5.2% ash, 24.6% total extractives, 1.1% suberin, and 43.8% total lignin. The polysaccharide composition showed a high ratio of xylan hemicelluloses to cellulose. The ethanol-water bark extract showed high antioxidant capacity. The chemical characterisation of different granulometric fractions showed that extractives were present preferentially in the finest fractions, particularly with enrichment in ethanol solution.

The chemical composition of cuticular waxes and pigments and the morphological features of cork oak (Quercus suber) leaves were determined for six samples with seeds of different geographical origins covering the natural distribution of the species. The leaves of all samples exhibited a hard texture and oval shape with a dark green colour on the hairless adaxial surface, while the abaxial surface was lighter, with numerous stomata and densely covered with trichomes in the form of stellate multicellular hairs. The results suggest an adaptive role of leaf features among samples of different provenance and the potential role of such variability in dealing with varying temperatures and rainfall regimes through local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity, as was seen in the trial site, since no significant differences in leaf traits among the various specimens were found, for example, specific leaf area 55.6–67.8 cm2/g, leaf size 4.6–6.8 cm2 and photosynthetic pigment (total chlorophyll, 31.8–40.4 µg/cm2). The leaves showed a substantial cuticular wax layer (154.3–235.1 µg/cm2) composed predominantly of triterpenes and aliphatic compounds (61–72% and 17–23% of the identified compounds, respectively) that contributed to forming a nearly impermeable membrane that helps the plant cope with drought conditions. These characteristics are related to the species and did not differ among trees of different seed origin. The major identified compound was lupeol, indicating that cork oak leaves may be considered as a potential source of this bioactive compound.

False banana /Ensete ventricosum [Welw.] Cheesman/ is exploited as a food crop in Ethiopia where it represents an important staple food. The plant is harvested and large amounts of biomass residues are originated, mainly from the pseudo stem (i.e., fiber bundles obtained from the leaf sheaths after being scrapped to produce starchy food) and the inflorescence stalk. These materials were studied in relation to their summative chemical composition, composition of lignin, lipophilic and polar extracts. Moreover, their structural characteristics, in view of their valorization, were scrutinized. The analytical studies were performed with the aid of FTIR, GC/MS, Py-GC/MS and SEM. The fiber bundles are aggregates of mainly long and slender fibers with low ash, extractives and lignin contents (3.8%. 4.4% and 10.5% respectively) and high holocellulose and α-cellulose contents (87.5% and 59.6% respectively). The hemicelluloses in the fibers are mostly highly acetylated xylans and the lignin is of the H-type (H:G:S, 1:0.7:0.8). This lignin composition is in line with the FTIR peaks at 1670 cm-1 and 1250 cm-1.The inflorescence stalk has high ash content (12.3% in the main stalk and 24.6% in fines) with a major proportion of potassium, high extractives (25.9%), and low lignin and α-cellulose contents (5.8% and 17.9% respectively). The stalk includes numerous starch granules in the cellular structure with the predominant presence of parenchyma. The potential valorization routes for these materials are clearly different. The fiber bundles could be used as a fiber source for paper pulp production with the possibility of a prior hemicelluloses removal while the inflorescence stalk has nutritional value for food and fodder. Furthermore, it can also be used for sugar fermentation products.

The bark from Quercus faginea mature trees from two sites was chemically characterized for the first time. The barks showed the following composition: ash 14.6%, total extractives 13.2%, suberin 2.9% and lignin 28.2%. The polysaccharides were composed mainly of glucose and xylose (50.3% and 35.1% of all monosaccharides respectively) with 4.8% of uronic acids. The suberin composition was: ω-hydroxyacids 46.3% of total compounds, ɑ,ω-alkanoic diacids 22.3%, alkanoic acids 5.9%, alkanols 6.7% and aromatics 6.9% (ferulic acid 4.0%). Polar extracts (ethanol-water) had a high phenolic content of 630.3 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g of extract, condensed tannins 220.7 mg of catechin equivalents (CE)/g extract, and flavonoids 207.7 mg CE/g of extract. The antioxidant activity was very high corresponding to 1567 mg Trolox equivalents/g of extract, and an IC50 of 2.63 μg extract/ml. The lipophilic extracts were constituted mainly by glycerol and its derivatives (12.3% of all compounds), alkanoic acids (27.8%), sterols (11.5%) and triterpenes (17.8%). In view of an integrated valorization, Quercus faginea barks are interesting sources of polar compounds including phenols and polyphenols with possible interesting bioactivities, while the sterols and triterpenes contained in the lipophilic extracts are also valuable bioactive compounds or chemical intermediates for specific high-value market niches, such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and biomedicine.

The bark of stone pine (Pinus pinea) from 50 year old trees grown in Portugal was submitted to grinding and fractioning into different particles sizes. The trees had a thick bark with an average 3,7 cm constituted mainly by the periderm and rhytidome (3,2 cm).The bark fractured easily into particles: yield of fines was low, and 74,0% of the particles were over 2 mm. The chemical composition, as a mass weighed average of all granulometric fractions showed a content of 1,1% ash 20,6% extractives (91% of which polar extractives) 2,2% suberin, 43,0% lignin and 37,6% holocellulose. The percentage of material dissolved by extraction with 1% NaOH was 42,3%. The chemical characterization of the different granulometric fractions showed that extractives were present preferentially in the finest fractions (

Mature 40-year-old trees of Eucalyptus globulus harvested in Portugal were studied to determine the heartwood development and variation of basic density and extractives content at different stem height levels. The heartwood radius decreased regularly from bottom to top in all the trees: for instance 22.2 cm, 13.0 cm, and 10.4 cm, respectively, at the 0%, 35%, and 60% height levels of tree 1. The average sapwood thickness was 2.8 cm at the stem base. The mean basic density fell in a range between 0.607 g cm-3 and 0.782 g cm-3 and was highest in the outer heartwood at all height levels. The total content of extractives varied axially and radially along the stem. It decreased until the 35% height level, and then it remained approximately constant upwards. The extractives content increased radially from the sapwood to the inner heartwood (6.2% to 12.5% at the base). Ethanol-soluble compounds were the major fraction at the base: 4.9%, 8.4%, and 10.9% of dry mass, respectively, for sapwood, outer heartwood, and inner heartwood. The non-polar extractives were obtained by dichloromethane extraction in very low amounts.

The bark of Anadenanthera peregrina (L.) Speg and Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan were characterized in relation to anatomical and chemical features. The barks were similar and included a thin conducting phloem, a largely dilated and sclerified non-conducting phloem, and a rhyridome with periderms with thin phellem interspersed by cortical tissues. Only small differences between species were observed that cannot be used alone for taxonomic purposes. The summative chemical composition of A. peregrina and A. colubrina was respectively: 8.2% and 7.7% ash; 28.8% and 29.3% extractives; 2.4% and 2.6% suberin; and 18.9% lignin. The monosaccharide composition showed the predominance of glucose (on average 82% of total neutral sugars) and of xylose (9%). The ethanol-water extracts of A. peregrina and A. colubrina barks included a high content of phenolics, respectively: total phenolics 583 and 682 mg GAE/g extract; 148 and 445 mg CE/g extract; tannins 587 and 98 mg CE/g extract. The antioxidant activity was 238 and 269 mg Trolox/g extract. The barks of the Anadenanthera species are a potential source of polar extractives that will represent an important valorization and therefore contribute to improve the overall economic potential and sustainability of A. peregrina and A. colubrina.

Heartwood and sapwood of Quercus faginea were evaluated in relation to summative chemical composition and non-polar and polar extracts composition, including an assessment of antioxidant properties (DPPH and FRAP). Twenty trees from two sites in Portugal were analysed. Heartwood had approximately two times more solvent extractible compounds than sapwood (on average 19.0% and 9.5%). The lipophilic extractible compounds were below 1%, and most of them were polar e.g. ethanol-soluble compounds corresponded to 65% of total extractives in heartwood and 43% in sapwood. Lignin content was similar in sapwood and heartwood (28.1% and 28.6% of extractive-free wood respectively) as well as the sugar composition. Site did not influence the chemical composition. The lipophilic extractible compounds from both sapwood and heartwood included mainly saturated fatty acids (23.0% and 36.9% respectively) and aromatic compounds were also abundant in sapwood (22.9%). The ethanol-water extractibles had a high content of phenolic substances (558.0 and 319.4 mg GAE/g extract, respectively of heartwood and sapwood). The polyphenolic composition was similar in heartwood and sapwood with higher content of ellagitannins (168.9 and 153.5 mg tannic acid/g of extract in sapwood and heartwood respectively) and very low content of condensed tannins. The antioxidant activity was very high with IC50 of 2.6 μg/ml and 3.3 μg/ml for sapwood and heartwood respectively, as compared to standard antioxidants (IC50 of 3.8 μg/ml for Trolox). The ferric reducing ability was 2.8 and 2.0 mMol Trolox equivalents/g extract of heartwood and sapwood respectively. The variability between trees was low and no differences between the two sites were found. Q. faginea showed a very good potential for cooperage and other applications for which a source of compounds with antioxidant properties is desirable.

Chromium (VI) removal and its reduction to chromium (III) from aqueous solution by untreated and heat-treated Quercus cerris and heat-treated Quercus suber black agglomerate cork granules was investigated. Initial screening studies revealed that among the sorbents tested, untreated Q. cerris and Q. suber black agglomerate are the most efficient in the removal of Cr(VI) ions and were selected for adsorption essays. Heat treatment adversely affected chromium adsorption and chromium (VI) reduction in Q. cerris cork. The highest metal uptake was found at pH 3.0 for Q. cerris and pH 2.0 for black agglomerate. The experimental data fitted the Langmuir model and the calculated qmax was 22.98 mg/g in black agglomerate and 21.69 mg/g in untreated Q. cerris cork. The FTIR results indicated that while in black agglomerate, lignin is the sole component responsible for Cr(VI) sorption, and in untreated Q. cerris cork, suberin and polysaccharides also play a significant role on the sorption. The SEM-EDX results imply that chromium has a homogenous distribution within both cork granules. Also, phloemic residues in Q. cerris granules showed higher chromium concentration. The results obtained in this study show that untreated Q. cerris and black agglomerate cork granules can be an effective and economical alternative to more costly materials for the treatment of liquid wastes containing chromium.

Bark and the tops of E. globulus trees were considered for kraft pulping under industrial conditions. Pulping experiments included wood, bark, tops, and composite samples. Top wood had an average chemical composition most similar to that of wood but with somewhat lower cellulose content (52.8% vs. 56.9%) and higher lignin content (18.8% vs. 17.8%). There was also a small difference between tops and wood for non-polar extractives, which were higher for tops (2.0% vs. 1.4%). Bark had a less favorable chemical composition with more extractives, especially polar extractives (5.3% vs. 1.6%) and 1% NaOH solubility (19.9% vs. 12.2%), pentosans (23.7% vs. 21.3%), and ash (2.9% vs. 1.0%), although the fiber length was higher (1.12 mm vs. 0.98 mm). The kraft pulps obtained using bark showed significantly lower yield, delignification degree, and strength properties but had a quicker response to refining. The incorporation of tops and bark in the wood pulping in levels below or similar to a corresponding whole-stem, however, had a limited effect on pulp yield, kappa number, refining, and pulp strength properties. These additional raw-materials, which were estimated to be 26% of the commercial stem wood (14% bark and 12% tops), may therefore be considered in enlarging the eucalypt fiber feedstock in kraft pulping.

Fundamento: la producción de hormonas está regida por determinados ritmos biológicos y circadianos. La prednisona es el tratamiento de elección para el síndrome nefrótico por daño mínimo. Si se coordina el ritmo biológico y el tratamiento, es posible modificar la efectividad de este. Objetivo: comparar la efectividad de una dosis única, coordinada con el ritmo circadiano y dosis fraccionada. Método: se administró dosis única de prednisona a un grupo de pacientes y dosis fraccionada a otro. A los resultados se les aplicó la prueba de probabilidad exacta de Fisher y t de Student. Se tomó un nivel de significación de α = 0,05. Resultados: con la dosis única las complicaciones fueron menos frecuentes, se acortó el tiempo de desaparición de la proteinuria y disminuyó el costo de hospitalización. Conclusiones: la dosis única de prednisona tuvo ventajas al compararla con la dosis fraccionada.

The main purpose of the paper is the evaluation of the influence of chemical composition of the gel of the synthesized 15CaO·0.5P2O5·6SiO2 glass-ceramic on the structure, crystallization behaviour and in vitro bioactivity in static conditions for different periods of time - 3, 9 and 30 days in 1.5SBF. The obtained glass-ceramic was synthesized via polystep sol-gel technique. The structure of the prepared and the one thermally treated at 1200°C for 2 h powder was studied by XRD, 29Si MAS NMR, FTIR and SEM.