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Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) represent promising nanostructures for drug delivery systems. This study successfully synthesized SLNs containing different proportions of babassu oil (BBS) and copaiba oleoresin (COPA) via the emulsification–ultrasonication method. Before SLN synthesis, the identification and quantification of methyl esters, such as lauric acid and β-caryophyllene, were performed via GC-MS analysis. These methyl esters were used as chemical markers and assisted in encapsulation efficiency experiments. A 22 factorial design with a center point was employed to assess the impact of stearic acid and Tween 80 on particle hydrodynamic diameter (HD) and polydispersity index (PDI). Additionally, the effects of temperature (8 ± 0.5 °C and 25 ± 1.0 °C) and time (0, 7, 15, 30, 40, and 60 days) on HD and PDI values were investigated. Zeta potential (ZP) measurements were utilized to evaluate nanoparticle stability, while transmission electron microscopy provided insights into the morphology and nanometric dimensions of the SLNs. The in vitro cytotoxic activity of the SLNs (10 µg/mL, 30 µg/mL, 40 µg/mL, and 80 µg/mL) was evaluated using the MTT assay with PC-3 and DU-145 prostate cancer cell lines. Results demonstrated that SLNs containing BBS and COPA in a 1:1 ratio exhibited a promising cytotoxic effect against prostate cancer cells, with a percentage of viable cells of 68.5% for PC-3 at a concentration of 30 µg/mL and 48% for DU-145 at a concentration of 80 µg/mL. These findings underscore the potential therapeutic applications of SLNs loaded with BBS and COPA for prostate cancer treatment.

Abstract Background Cervical cancer is a major concern to women’s health, being the fourth most common cancer worldwide. A great percentage of these cancer is consequence of an HPV infection, namely from specific genotypes such as 16/18. Portuguese screening program subjects women to a reflex cytology triage every 5 years. Aptima® HPV is a screening test which presents better specificity than other tests which are used in Portugal (Hybrid Capture® 2 and Cobas® 4800) and still have a comparable sensitivity. The present study aims to estimate the number of diagnostic tests and costs that are avoided using Aptima® HPV compared to the use of two other tests, Hybrid Capture® 2 and Cobas® 4800, within the cervical cancer screening programme in Portugal. Methods A model, consisting of a decision-tree, was developed to represent the full Portuguese screening program for cervical cancer. This model is used to compare the costs resulting from using Aptima® HPV test versus the other tests used in Portugal, during 2 years. Other outcomes such as the number of additional tests and exams were also computed. This comparison considers the performance of each test (sensitivity and specificity) and assumes an equal price for every test compared. Results Cost savings resulting from the use of Aptima® HPV are estimated at approximately €382 million versus Hybrid Capture® 2 and €2.8 million versus Cobas® 4800. Moreover, Aptima® HPV prevents 265,443 and 269,856 additional tests and exams when compared with Hybrid Capture® 2 and Cobas® 4800. Conclusions The use of Aptima® HPV resulted in lower costs as well as less additional test and exams. These values result from the greater specificity of Aptima® HPV, which signals less false positive cases and consequently avoids carrying out additional tests.

Silybin (SIB) is a hepatoprotective drug known for its poor oral bioavailability, attributed to its classification as a class IV drug with significant metabolism during the first-pass effect. This study explored the potential of solid lipid nanoparticles with (SLN-SIB-U) or without (SLN-SIB) ursodeoxycholic acid and polymeric nanoparticles (PN-SIB) as delivery systems for SIB. The efficacy of these nanosystems was assessed through in vitro studies using the GRX and Caco-2 cell lines for permeability and proliferation assays, respectively, as well as in vivo experiments employing a murine model of Schistosomiasis mansoni infection in BALB/c mice. The mean diameter and encapsulation efficiency of the nanosystems were as follows: SLN-SIB (252.8 ± 4.4 nm, 90.28 ± 2.2%), SLN-SIB-U (252.9 ± 14.4 nm, 77.05 ± 2.8%), and PN-SIB (241.8 ± 4.1 nm, 98.0 ± 0.2%). In the proliferation assay with the GRX cell line, SLN-SIB and SLN-SIB-U exhibited inhibitory effects of 43.09 ± 5.74% and 38.78 ± 3.78%, respectively, compared to PN-SIB, which showed no inhibitory effect. Moreover, SLN-SIB-U demonstrated a greater apparent permeability coefficient (25.82 ± 2.2) than PN-SIB (20.76 ± 0.1), which was twice as high as that of SLN-SIB (11.32 ± 4.6) and pure SIB (11.28 ± 0.2). These findings suggest that solid lipid nanosystems hold promise for further in vivo investigations. In the murine model of acute-phase Schistosomiasis mansoni infection, both SLN-SIB and SLN-SIB-U displayed hepatoprotective effects, as evidenced by lower alanine amino transferase values (22.89 ± 1.6 and 23.93 ± 2.4 U/L, respectively) than those in control groups I (29.55 ± 0.7 U/L) and I+SIB (34.29 ± 0.3 U/L). Among the prepared nanosystems, SLN-SIB-U emerges as a promising candidate for enhancing the pharmacokinetic properties of SIB.

Introduction: In this study, we aimed to characterise exposure to pyrethroids, organophosphates, and tebuconazole through multiple pathways in 110 parent–child pairs participating in the CELSPAC–SPECIMEn study. Methods: First, we estimated the daily intake (EDI) of pesticides based on measured urinary metabolites. Second, we compared EDI with estimated pesticide intake from food. We used multiple linear regression to identify the main predictors of urinary pesticide concentrations. We also assessed the relationship between urinary pesticide concentrations and organic and non-organic food consumption while controlling for a range of factors. Finally, we employed a model to estimate inhalation and dermal exposure due to spray drift and volatilization after assuming pesticide application in crop fields. Results: EDI was often higher in children in comparison to adults, especially in the winter season. A comparison of food intake estimates and EDI suggested diet as a critical pathway of tebuconazole exposure, less so in the case of organophosphates. Regression models showed that consumption per g of peaches/apricots was associated with an increase of 0.37% CI [0.23% to 0.51%] in urinary tebuconazole metabolite concentrations. Consumption of white bread was associated with an increase of 0.21% CI [0.08% to 0.35%], and consumption of organic strawberries was inversely associated (-61.52% CI [-79.34% to -28.32%]), with urinary pyrethroid metabolite concentrations. Inhalation and dermal exposure seemed to represent a relatively small contribution to pesticide exposure as compared to dietary intake. Conclusion: In our study population, findings indicate diet plays a significant role in exposure to the analysed pesticides. We found an influence of potential exposure due to spray drift and volatilization among the subpopulation residing near presumably sprayed crop fields to be minimal in comparison. However, the lack of data indicating actual spraying occurred during the critical 24-hour period prior to urine sample collection could be a significant contributing factor.

Material extrusion (MEX) allows for the production of advanced cutting tools with new internal cooling systems, which are suitable for new machining equipment. To produce cutting tools via this process, hardmetal and cermet feedstock must be prepared for the extrusion of 3D printing filaments. After shaping the 3D object (green), debinding and sintering must be performed to achieve densification. Defects and microstructural heterogeneities were studied according to the powder material. The present study shows that, although MEX is a viable solution for hardmetals, it needs to produce homogeneous filaments for cermets. The WC-Co bulk microstructures versus hardness were similar to the ones that were measured with pressing and sintering. While cermet (Ti(CN)/WC-Ni/Co) microstructures were heterogeneous, their hardness, when compared with that from the pressing and sintering manufacturing process, decreased significantly.

Long after Trypanosoma cruzi infection, 40% of individuals develop a progressive chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC), with systolic dysfunction and arrhythmias. Since we previously showed IL-1β mediates the development of systolic dysfunction and cardiac arrhythmias in diabetes mellitus and cardiorenal syndrome, and IL-1β remains elevated in Chagas disease patients, here we tested the role of IL-1β in CCC using a mouse model. Mice deficient in IL-1R expression (Il-1r−/−) survived acute T. cruzi infection with greater parasitemia than controls but did not lose weight as wild-type (WT) did. At the chronic stage, WT presented prolonged ventricular repolarization intervals (QJ), while Il-1r−/− presented intervals like noninfected controls. Infected Il-1r−/− and WT did not differ in stroke volume (SV), the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias on electrocardiography (EKG), whole heart action potential duration (APD), or the incidence of triggered activity after S1–S2 protocol, which is a measure of susceptibility to cardiac arrhythmias. We also treated chronically infected WT mice with an IL-1R antagonist, anakinra. Treatment shortened the QJ interval but did not improve the SV or the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias on EKG. Anakinra failed to reduce triggered activity following the electrical extra-stimulation protocol. In conclusion, the absence of functional IL-1β/IL-1R signaling did not prevent or reverse the decrease of SV or the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias induced by chronic T. cruzi infection, implying this is not a critical mechanism in generating or maintaining CCC. Since similar cardiac abnormalities were previously credited to IL-1β signaling, ruling out this mechanism is important to discourage further attempts of IL-1β blockade as a therapeutical measure.

Inconel 718 is a highly valued material in the aerospace and nuclear industries due to the fact of its exceptional properties. However, the processing of this material is quite difficult, especially through machining processes. Machining this material results in rapid tool wear, even when low material removal rates are considered. In this study, instrumented turning experiments were employed to evaluate the machinability of Inconel 718 alloy using PCBN tools while assessing the usage of two distinct binder phases, TiN and TiC, for those cutting tools. It was found that the tool life was highly sensitive to the cutting speeds but also affected by the workpiece mechanical properties. At lower cutting speeds, notch wear significantly impacted the tool integrity, whereas at higher cutting speeds, flank wear was the primary failure mode of the tool. The flank wear of the tools with TiN-based binder outperformed TiC by almost 30%, presenting a more consistent behavior when machining.

RESUMO Desde o nascedouro do movimento da Reforma Sanitária Brasileira, seus intelectuais apresentavam uma leitura particular sobre o papel do Estado na formação social e sobre o desenvolvimento das forças produtivas. A análise desta visão é fundamental para o entendimento dos limites do aparelho de Estado na opção política realizada pelo movimento. Este estudo, portanto, tem como objetivo debater criticamente com as formulações acerca da natureza do Estado, a categoria ‘cidadania’ e suas especificidades em países subdesenvolvidos. Utiliza-se deste percurso crítico para analisar a práxis da Reforma Sanitária e as relações entre saúde e questão agrária no Brasil. Para tanto, optou-se pela modalidade textual do tipo ensaio. De modo geral, a natureza do Estado em países subdesenvolvidos pode ser repensada a partir da economia mundial. Essa natureza desvela a função estatal de (re)produtor das relações capitalistas, caracterizada por uma violência particular apresentada politicamente na forma-regime de ‘legitimidade restrita’. Essa violência está intimamente ligada às relações de exploração no campo e são essenciais para o desenvolvimento da acumulação capitalista. Este argumento parece importante para repensar a centralidade da questão agrária no movimento sanitário.

RESUMO Este artigo teve como objetivo mapear a produção da economia da saúde no Brasil e seus principais temas, destacando a relevância da economia política, com o intuito de refletir sobre a sustentabilidade do Sistema Único de Saúde. Para tanto, realizou-se uma pesquisa quantitativa exploratória, por meio de coleta de dados nos currículos de pesquisadores doutores em economia da saúde na Plataforma Lattes (CNPq) em 2018. Recuperaram-se os pesquisadores por meio do termo 'economia da saúde' e 'economia política'. Classificaram-se suas produções nas áreas temáticas de 'financiamento', 'política de saúde', 'gestão em saúde', 'análise de custo-efetividade'. Identificaram-se 471 currículos de doutores associados ao termo 'economia da saúde', dos quais 53,9% (254) foram considerados 'economistas da saúde'. Entre os temas mais trabalhados, 42,5% (108) enfatizam a 'análise de custo-efetividade', 20,9% (53) salientam a 'gestão em saúde' e 20,5% (52) ressaltam o 'financiamento'. Dos 254, apenas 11,0% (28) produzem em 'economia política'. A preponderância da produção em 'gestão em saúde' e 'análise de custo-efetividade' sugere que os pesquisadores da economia da saúde estão majoritariamente alinhados ao pensamento neoclássico. Além disso, a produção de conhecimento pelos paradigmas da 'economia política' é rarefeita.

No presente estudo, foram realizadas algumas aproximações da Política de Saúde Mental, como pressuposto da Reforma Psiquiátrica Brasileira (RPB), à luz da Teoria Marxista da Dependência (TMD), com o objetivo de analisar as implicações assistências e epidemiológicas desse movimento atrelado à totalidade do processo de acumulação capitalista. Com este intuito, foi abordado do ponto de vista histórico-descritivo os dados de saúde mental na cidade de São Paulo entre 2008-2017, promovendo uma análise qualitativa por meio do materialismo histórico-dialético. Demonstrou-se que a RPB é incompleta e hibridiza com diferentes perspectivas de saúde, o que foi constatado pela permanência de características asilares (o arcaico) em conjunto com serviços de caráter substitutivo (o moderno). Dessa maneira, a contradição entre dependência e a constituição de uma política social em uma das principais cidades da periferia da economia mundial.

During machining processes, a high temperature is generated in the cutting zone due to deformation of the material and friction of the chip along the surface of the tool. This high temperature has a detrimental effect on the cutting tool, and for this reason, it is of the utmost importance to assess the cutting temperature in real time during these processes. Despite all the advances and investigation in this field, accurately measuring the cutting temperature remains a great challenge. In this sense, this work intends to contribute to solving this problem by experimentally evaluating the potential of the developed approach for embedding thermocouples into the rake face of cutting tools for measuring cutting temperature in real time during dry turning of AISI 1045 steel for different cutting parameters and comparing the obtained results with infrared thermography measurements at the exact same point. A well-defined, smooth micro-groove with good surface quality was produced by laser surface modification. Then a laser-welded K-type thermocouple was fixated in the micro-groove with a MgO ceramic adhesive, ensuring protection from wear and chips, which allowed the creation of WC-Co cutting inserts with the ability to measure cutting tool temperature with a maximum error of 0.96%. Results showed that, despite yielding the same trend, the tool temperature measured by the IR thermographic camera was always lower than the temperature measured by the K-type embedded thermocouple. The proposed embedded thermocouple method proved to be a reliable, precise, accurate, and cost-effective approach for real-time temperature measurement capable of providing useful information for cutting parameter optimization, thus allowing increased productivity and tool life.

Objective: To determine whether instrumental music influences the anxiety status and intraoperative sedative requirements of a patient Design: A single center, prospective, randomized controlled trial Setting: Patients between 18 and 65 years, physical status of American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA I or II) who underwent lower limb orthopedic surgery under spinal anesthesia. Interventions: Patients were assigned to one of two groups: (1) Music Group: patients hearing instrumental music through a headset during the entire procedure or (2) No Music Group: patients wearing headphones without music Main outcome measures: Before and after the procedure, the anxiety status of the patient was assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and intraoperative sedative drug consumption was quantified. Results: A total of 107 patients were analyzed. A significant reduction in anxiety in the Music Group patients after surgery (p = 0.023) was found. Patients in this group also required less additional medication for intraoperative sedation (p = 0.004), and 88.9% of Music Group patients self-reported that music helped them remain calm during the procedure. Most patients in both groups agreed that music should be used during surgical procedures (98.2% and 94.3% in Music and No Music Groups, respectively) Conclusions: This study showed that listening to instrumental music during lower limb orthopedic surgery caused a reduction in anxiety and sedative requirements. Patients also self-reported a positive music-related experience.

Pig farming generates highly polluting wastewaters which entail serious environmental issues when not adequately managed. Microalgae systems can be promising for cost, energy and environment-efficient treatment of piggery wastewater (PWW). Aside from clean water, the produced biomass can be used as biostimulants and biopesticides contributing to a more sustainable agriculture.Three microalgae (Tetradesmus obliquus, Chlorella protothecoides, Chlorella vulgaris) and one cyanobacterium (Synechocystis sp.) were selected after a preliminary screening in diluted wastewater (1:20) to treat PWW. The nutrient removals were 62-79% for COD (chemical oxygen demand), 84-92% for TKN (total Kjeldahl nitrogen), 79-92% for NH4+ and over 96% for PO43−. T. obliquus and C. protothecoides were the most efficient ones.After treating PWW, the produced biomass, at 0.5 g L−1, was assessed as a biostimulant for seed germination, root/shoot growth, and pigment content for tomato, watercress, cucumber, soybean, wheat, and barley seeds. We observed an overall increase on germination index (GI) of microalgae-treated seeds, owing to the development of longer roots, especially in T. obliquus and C. vulgaris treatments. The microalgae treatments were especially effective in cucumber seeds (75-138% GI increase).The biopesticide activity against Fusarium oxysporum was also evaluated at 1, 2.5 and 5 g L−1 of microalgae culture. Except for Synechocystis sp., all the microalgae tested inhibited the fungus growth, with T. obliquus and C. vulgaris achieving inhibitions above 40% for all concentrations.

Algae have been consumed for millennia in several parts of the world as food, food supplements, and additives, due to their unique organoleptic properties and nutritional and health benefits. Algae are sustainable sources of proteins, minerals, and fiber, with well-balanced essential amino acids, pigments, and fatty acids, among other relevant metabolites for human nutrition. This review covers the historical consumption of algae in Europe, developments in the current European market, challenges when introducing new species to the market, bottlenecks in production technology, consumer acceptance, and legislation. The current algae species that are consumed and commercialized in Europe were investigated, according to their status under the European Union (EU) Novel Food legislation, along with the market perspectives in terms of the current research and development initiatives, while evaluating the interest and potential in the European market. The regular consumption of more than 150 algae species was identified, of which only 20% are approved under the EU Novel Food legislation, which demonstrates that the current legislation is not broad enough and requires an urgent update. Finally, the potential of the European algae market growth was indicated by the analysis of the trends in research, technological advances, and market initiatives to promote algae commercialization and consumption.

Current farm systems rely on the use of Plant Protection Products (PPP) to secure high productivity and control threats to the quality of the crops. However, PPP use may have considerable impacts on human health and the environment. A study protocol is presented aiming to determine the occurrence and levels of PPP residues in plants (crops), animals (livestock), humans and other non-target species (ecosystem representatives) for exposure modelling and impact assessment. To achieve this, we designed a cross-sectional study to compare conventional and organic farm systems across Europe. Environmental and biological samples were/are being/will be collected during the 2021 growing season, at 10 case study sites in Europe covering a range of climate zones and crops. An additional study site in Argentina will inform the impact of PPP use on growing soybean which is an important European protein-source in animal feed. We will study the impact of PPP mixtures using an integrated risk assessment methodology. The fate of PPP in environmental media (soil, water and air) and in the homes of farmers will be monitored. This will be complemented by biomonitoring to estimate PPP uptake by humans and farm animals (cow, goat, sheep and chicken), and by collection of samples from non-target species (earthworms, fish, aquatic and terrestrial macroinvertebrates, bats, and farm cats). We will use data on PPP residues in environmental and biological matrices to estimate exposures by modelling. These exposure estimates together with health and toxicity data will be used to predict the impact of PPP use on environment, plant, animal and human health. The outcome of this study will then be integrated with socio-economic information leading to an overall assessment used to identify transition pathways towards more sustainable plant protection and inform decision makers, practitioners and other stakeholders regarding farming practices and land use policy.

Microalgae have almost unlimited applications due to their versatility and robustness to grow in different environmental conditions, their biodiversity and variety of valuable bioactive compounds. Wastewater can be used as a low-cost and readily available medium for microalgae, while the latter removes the pollutants to produce clean water. Nevertheless, since the most valuable metabolites are mainly located inside the microalga cell, their release implies rupturing the cell wall. In this study, Tetradesmus obliquus grown in 5% piggery effluent was disrupted using high-pressure homogenization (HPH). Effects of HPH pressure (100, 300, and 600 bar) and cycles (1, 2 and 3) were tested on the membrane integrity and evaluated using flow cytometry and microscopy. In addition, wheat seed germination trials were carried out using the biomass at different conditions. Increased HPH pressure or number of cycles led to more cell disruption (75% at 600 bar and 3 cycles). However, the highest increase in wheat germination and growth (40–45%) was observed at the lowest pressure (100 bar), where only 46% of the microalga cells were permeabilised, but not disrupted. Non-treated T. obliquus cultures also revealed an enhancing effect on root and shoot length (up to 40%). The filtrate of the initial culture also promoted shoot development compared to water (21%), reinforcing the full use of all the process fractions. Thus, piggery wastewater can be used to produce microalgae biomass, and mild HPH conditions can promote cell permeabilization to release sufficient amounts of bioactive compounds with the ability to enhance plant germination and growth, converting an economic and environmental concern into environmentally sustainable applications.

The overapplication of manure on agricultural soils leads to nitrogen and phosphorus discharge into the aquatic environment, resulting in serious eutrophication problems and decreased water quality. Piggery wastewater (PWW) can be treated by microalgae to recycle nutrients, but the toxic levels of ammonia and organic matter hinder their growth. Fresh water is usually used to dilute PWW, but it is a scarce resource. The implementation of a pretreatment step before microalgae-based treatment could make PWW suitable for microalgae growth. Electrocoagulation, ammonia stripping, photo-Fenton, and constructed wetlands were evaluated as pretreatment methods to reduce ammonia, chemical oxygen demand (COD), color, and total suspended solids. Moreover, the pretreated PWWs were tested to grow the microalga Tetradesmus obliquus. Photo-Fenton showed the best results among the other pretreatments, achieving removal efficiencies above 90%, except for ammonia. This resulted in T. obliquus being capable of growing on undiluted PWW, even at higher ammonia levels, achieving similar biomass productivity to synthetic medium (66.4 ± 17.8 mg·L−1·day−1 and 60.1 ± 10.4 mg·L−1·day−1, respectively) almost doubling with pH control (116.5 mg·L−1·day−1). Thus, this pretreatment seems to be the most promising one to incorporate into microalgae-based treatment systems and must be further explored.

ABSTRACT Objective: Infection after the internal fixation of fractures is a major complication. Early infection is particularly challenging, because it occurs when the fracture is not yet united. The objective of this study is to identify possible factors related to the development of early infection in patients treated with internal fixation for fractures. Method: This retrospective observational study analyzed 24 patients with long bone fractures who underwent internal fixation and developed infections in the post-operatory period. The infections were classified as early (diagnosis in the first two weeks after surgery) or late (diagnosis after 2 weeks). Results: Of the 24 patients studied, 11 (46%) developed early infections and 13 (54%) were diagnosed with late infections. The early infection group was significantly younger (37.8 versus 53.1 [p = 0.05]) and underwent more surgeries prior to internal fixation (1.2 versus 0.2 [p < 0.00]). Conclusion: Risk factors for the development of early infection in the postoperative period should be considered when treating patients with internal fracture fixation in order to diagnose this condition as early as possible. Level of Evidence IV; Case series.

Among the unique opportunities and developments that are currently being triggered by the fourth industrial revolution, developments in cutting tools have been following the trend of an ever more holistic control of manufacturing processes. Sustainable manufacturing is at the forefront of tools development, encompassing environmental, economic, and technological goals. The integrated use of sensors, data processing, and smart algorithms for fast optimization or real time adjustment of cutting processes can lead to a significant impact on productivity and energy uptake, as well as less usage of cutting fluids. Diamond is the material of choice for machining of non-ferrous alloys, composites, and ultrahard materials. While the extreme hardness, thermal conductivity, and wear resistance of CVD diamond coatings are well-known, these also exhibit highly auspicious sensing properties through doping with boron and other elements. The present study focuses on the thermal response of boron-doped diamond (BDD) coatings. BDD coatings have been shown to have a negative temperature coefficient (NTC). Several approaches have been adopted for monitoring cutting temperature, including thin film thermocouples and infrared thermography. Although these are good solutions, they can be costly and become impractical for certain finishing cutting operations, tool geometries such as rotary tools, as well as during material removal in intricate spaces. In the scope of this study, diamond/WC-Co substrates were coated with BDD by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD). Scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and the van der Pauw method were used for morphological, structural, and electrical characterization, respectively. The thermal response of the thin diamond thermistors was characterized in the temperature interval of 20–400 °C. Compared to state-of-the-art temperature monitoring solutions, this is a one-step approach that improves the wear properties and heat dissipation of carbide tools while providing real-time and in-situ temperature monitoring.

Cobalt-cemented carbide micro-end mills were coated with diamond grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), with the purpose of micro-machining cemented carbides. The diamond coatings were designed with a multilayer architecture, alternating between sub-microcrystalline and nanocrystalline diamond layers. The structure of the coatings was studied by transmission electron microscopy. High adhesion to the chemically pre-treated WC-7Co tool substrates was observed by Rockwell C indentation, with the diamond coatings withstanding a critical load of 1250 N. The coated tools were tested for micro-end-milling of WC-15Co under air-cooling conditions, being able to cut more than 6500 m over a period of 120 min, after which a flank wear of 47.8 μm was attained. The machining performance and wear behavior of the micro-cutters was studied by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Crystallographic analysis through cross-sectional selected area electron diffraction patterns, along with characterization in dark-field and HRTEM modes, provided a possible correlation between interfacial stress relaxation and wear properties of the coatings. Overall, this work demonstrates that high adhesion of diamond coatings can be achieved by proper combination of chemical attack and coating architecture. By preventing catastrophic delamination, multilayer CVD diamond coatings are central towards the enhancement of the wear properties and mechanical robustness of carbide tools used for micro-machining of ultra-hard materials.

Here we record the occurrence of 38 species, including 30 species of Streblidae and eight species of Nycteribiidae. Of these, 12 are new records for the Distrito Federal, three are new for the Cerrado, and one, Trichobius johnsonae Wenzel, 1966 is the first record from Brazil. We also recorded a yet undescribed species of Basilia from the district.

The authors present a case of spinal cord schistosomiasis which simulated a tumoral lesion determining spastic paraparesis with a sensitive-motor level at T1. The patient was treated with surgery, praziquantel and dexamethasone, with “restitutio ad integrum”. Seven years later the patient presented recrudescence of the symptoms, without a good response to the medication and without a plausible explanation. The authors wonder about the reasons of the low incidence of central nervous system schistosomosis in an endemic area such as the Northeast of Brazil. A brief review of the literature is done.

Oxidative stress promotes T. cruzi growth and development of chronic Chagas heart dysfunction. However, the literature contains gaps that must be fulfilled, largely due to variations in parasite DTU sources, cell types, mouse strains, and tools to manipulate redox status. We assessed the impact of oxidative environment on parasite burden in cardiomyoblasts and the effects of the Nrf2-inducer COPP on heart function in BALB/c mice infected with either DTU-II Y or DTU-I Colombian T. cruzi strains. Treatment with antioxidants CoPP, apocynin, resveratrol, and tempol reduced parasite burden in cardiomyoblasts H9C2 for both DTUI- and II-strains, while H2O2 increased it. CoPP treatment improved electrical heart function when administered during acute stage of Y-strain infection, coinciding with an overall trend towards increased survival and reduced heart parasite burden. These beneficial effects surpassed those of trypanocidal benznidazole, implying that CoPP directly affects heart physiology. CoPP treatment had beneficial impact on heart systolic function when performed during acute and evaluated during chronic stage. No impact of CoPP on heart parasite burden, electrical, or mechanical function was observed during the chronic stage of Colombian-strain infection, despite previous demonstrations of improvement with other antioxidants. Treatment with CoPP also did not improve heart function of mice chronically infected with Y-strain. Our findings indicate that amastigote growth is responsive to changes in oxidative environment within heart cells regardless of the DTU source, but CoPP influence on heart parasite burden in vivo and heart function is mostly confined to the acute phase. The nature of the antioxidant employed, T. cruzi DTU, and the stage of disease, emerge as crucial factors to consider in heart function studies. Author summary: Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, can lead to serious heart complications, known as Chagas cardiomyopathy. This study investigates the role of oxidative stress on the growth of T. cruzi and the effects of antioxidants, particularly protoporphyrin cobalt (CoPP), on heart health using two distinct strains of the parasite (Y and Colombian strains). We found that CoPP and other antioxidants, including apocynin, resveratrol, and tempol, reduced parasite levels in heart cells, while oxidative stress increased it. In mice infected with the Y strain of T. cruzi, CoPP treatment during the acute phase improved heart function, reduced parasite burden, and increased survival, outperforming the standard treatment with benznidazole. However, CoPP's benefits were mostly confined to the early stages of infection. When treatment was administered during the chronic phase, it did not improve heart function or reduce parasite levels in mice infected with the Colombian strain, despite previous studies showing that other antioxidants can be beneficial in this stage. These findings suggest that the type of antioxidant and the timing of treatment are crucial in managing Chagas disease. This work underscores the potential of early antioxidant treatments like CoPP to protect heart function and prevent long-term damage, potentially offering better treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silybin (SIB) is a hepatoprotective drug known for its poor oral bioavailability, attributed to its classification as a class IV drug with significant metabolism during the first-pass effect. This study explored the potential of solid lipid nanoparticles with (SLN-SIB-U) or without (SLN-SIB) ursodeoxycholic acid and polymeric nanoparticles (PN-SIB) as delivery systems for SIB. The efficacy of these nanosystems was assessed through in vitro studies using the GRX and Caco-2 cell lines for permeability and proliferation assays, respectively, as well as in vivo experiments employing a murine model of Schistosomiasis mansoni infection in BALB/c mice. The mean diameter and encapsulation efficiency of the nanosystems were as follows: SLN-SIB (252.8 ± 4.4 nm, 90.28 ± 2.2%), SLN-SIB-U (252.9 ± 14.4 nm, 77.05 ± 2.8%), and PN-SIB (241.8 ± 4.1 nm, 98.0 ± 0.2%). In the proliferation assay with the GRX cell line, SLN-SIB and SLN-SIB-U exhibited inhibitory effects of 43.09 ± 5.74% and 38.78 ± 3.78%, respectively, compared to PN-SIB, which showed no inhibitory effect. Moreover, SLN-SIB-U demonstrated a greater apparent permeability coefficient (25.82 ± 2.2) than PN-SIB (20.76 ± 0.1), which was twice as high as that of SLN-SIB (11.32 ± 4.6) and pure SIB (11.28 ± 0.2). These findings suggest that solid lipid nanosystems hold promise for further in vivo investigations. In the murine model of acute-phase Schistosomiasis mansoni infection, both SLN-SIB and SLN-SIB-U displayed hepatoprotective effects, as evidenced by lower alanine amino transferase values (22.89 ± 1.6 and 23.93 ± 2.4 U/L, respectively) than those in control groups I (29.55 ± 0.7 U/L) and I+SIB (34.29 ± 0.3 U/L). Among the prepared nanosystems, SLN-SIB-U emerges as a promising candidate for enhancing the pharmacokinetic properties of SIB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]