Continuous removal of caffeine in a horizontal-flow anaerobic immobilized biomass bioreactor: identification of transformation products

Anaerobic bioreactors are an efficient technology for the biodegradation of emerging contaminants in environmental matrices. In this work, a horizontal-flow anaerobic immobilized biomass (HAIB) bioreactor was used to remove caffeine (CAF), which is frequently found in various aqueous matrices. The acrylic bench top bioreactor, with dimensions of 100 × 5.00 cm, was operated with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 12 h, during 45 weeks, under mesophilic conditions. The operation was performed in 4 phases: without CAF addition (phase I); CAF spiked at 300 μg L-1 (phase II); CAF at 600 μg L-1 (phase III); and CAF at 900 μg L-1 (phase IV). Samples of bioreactor influent and effluent were analyzed by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The bioreactor removed organic matter (OM) and CAF with efficiencies of 88 and 93%, respectively. The first-order apparent removal constant (Kapp) values for OM and CAF were 0.419 and 0.304 h-1, respectively. Five transformation products (TPs) were identified, with m/z 243, 227, 211, and 181 (two products). The HAIB bioreactor is a suitable system for the removal of CAF present in wastewater, even at a concentration level of µg L-1.

Isotemporal substitution of sleep or sedentary behavior with physical activity in the context of frailty among older adults: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Frailty syndrome is associated with various physical, cognitive, social, economic, and environmental factors. Although frailty syndrome occurs progressively with age, prevention and treatment are possible. Reducing or eliminating risks and increasing protective factors may be potential strategies for reducing the prevalence of injuries related to frailty. One of the most effective actions is to decrease the time spent in sedentary behavior (SB) by increasing regular physical activity (PA).

OBJECTIVE

To examine the hypothetical effect of substitution of the time spent in sleep or SB with an equivalent time spent performing moderate or vigorous PA on frailty syndrome in the older population.

DESIGN AND SETTING

An analytical cross-sectional study conducted using exploratory methods of survey, carried out in Alcobaça city, Bahia, Brazil.

METHODS

A total of 456 older adults of both sexes, aged ≥ 60 years, participated in this study. Frailty syndrome was identified according to the criteria of the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. PA and SB were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and sleep was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The effects of time substitution on these behaviors were verified using Poisson regression.

RESULTS

The replacement of 60 min/day of SB (prevalence ratio, PR = 0.52; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.28-0.96) or sleep (PR = 0.52; 95% CI: 0.27-0.98) with 60 min/day of moderate PA (MPA) was associated with a 48% reduction in the prevalence of frailty syndrome.

CONCLUSIONS

Replacing the time spent sitting or sleeping with the same amount of MPA time may reduce frailty; the longer the duration of time spent in the substitution of sleep or SB with MPA, the greater the benefits.

Reallocation of time spent on sedentary behavior by time spent on physical activity reduces dynapenia in older adults: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Dynapenia is characterized by mobility limitations in the older population when combined with aggravating behavioral factors that can increase the risk of morbidity and mortality.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the hypothetical effects of reallocation of time spent on sedentary behavior (SB), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and sleep on dynapenia in older adults.

DESIGN AND SETTING

A prospective cohort study using exploratory surveys in Alcobaça City, Bahia State, Brazil.

METHODS

In total, 176 older adults (≥ 60 years) of both sexes participated in this study. Dynapenia was assessed using the handgrip strength test with cutoff points of < 27 kg for men and < 16 kg for women. MVPA and SB were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and sleep was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.

RESULTS

Effects on reallocation were found for the shortest times, such as 10 minutes (odds ratio (OR) 0.92; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.85-0.99); substituting MVPA with SB increased the chances of dynapenia by 58.0% (95% CI: 1.01-2.49). Analyzing the substitution of 60 minutes/day of SB with 60 minutes/day of MVPA revealed a protective effect, with a lower OR for dynapenia of 37.0% (OR 0.63; 95% CI: 0.40-0.99). The reallocation of sleep time did not significantly reduce dynapenia.

CONCLUSIONS

Substituting the time spent sitting with the same amount of time spent on MVPA can reduce dynapenia, and a longer reallocation time confers greater health benefits in older adults.

Oxidative and osmotolerant effects in Salvator merianae (Squamata: Teiidae) red blood cells during hibernation

Hibernation is a natural condition of animals that lives in the temperate zone, although some tropical lizards also experience hibernation annually, such as the lizard native from South America, Salvator merianae, or "tegu" lizard. Even though physiological and metabolic characteristic associated with hibernation have been extensively studied, possible alterations in the red blood cells (RBC) integrity during this period remains unclear. Dehydration and fasting are natural consequences of hibernating for several months and it could be related to some cellular modifications. In this study, we investigated if the osmotic tolerance of RBCs of tegu lizard under hibernation is different from the cells obtained from animals while normal activity. Additionally, we indirectly investigated if the RBCs membrane of hibernating tegus could be associated with oxidation by quantifying oxidized biomolecules and the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Our findings suggest that RBCs are more fragile during the hibernation period, although we did not find evidence of an oxidative stress scenario associated with the accentuated fragility. Even though we did not exclude the possibility of oxidative damage during hibernation, we suggested that an increased RBCs volume as a consequence of hypoosmotic blood during hibernation could also affect RBCs integrity as noted.

Hair as an alternative noninvasive matrix: sources of variation in testosterone levels

Hair is one widely used alternative matrix for endocrine studies. Not only can it maintain hormone content during storage for long periods of time, but its collection also induces little to no stress. Noninvasive techniques have broadened the opportunities for endocrine research, particularly regarding wild animals. Despite its advantages, many sources of variation may affect the steroid concentration found in hair, such as body location harvested, fur color, reproductive status, and sex. Thus, domestic species, such as the dog, are an excellent and approachable model for understanding this variability. For such, we addressed diverse sources of variation in testosterone concentrations from 24 domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) of the Poodle breed of various colors and neuter status, and from both sexes. The variation comprised the comparison between 2 different matrices (blood vs hair); 2 different extraction storage methods (refrigerator vs freezer); 3 body regions (head, torso, and limbs); 3 coat colors (black, brown, and white); different neuter status (intact vs castrated males) and, finally, sex. Our results showed no correlation between blood and hair testosterone concentrations. Additionally, we did not find differences related to the storage method, body region, or coat color. There were differences in concentration between males and females, but not between females and castrated males. We discuss hair testosterone levels exhibited reasonable stability, and we present practical applications for both domestic and wildlife animals.

Epidemiological Profile of Pregnant Women with Eclampsia Admitted in Cuiabá Hospitals from 2008 to 2017

AbstractDuring pregnancy, women undergo several physiological body changes. However, there are some pathologies that can interfere in this period. In Brazil, the main cause of maternal mortality stems from hypertensive disorders. The increased blood pressure gestational period may be due to a preexisting chronic hypertension or Gestational hypertension. Therefore, the hypertension during pregnancy may evolve to preeclampsia, eclampsia or HELLP Syndrome. Each of these disorders has consequences for the mother and the fetus, which can be fatal, in the most serious cases. The objective of this study is to recognize the profile of pregnant women hospitalized with eclampsia, whereas the knowledge of the signs that the pathology presents and the most frequent epidemiological profile to help in the early diagnosis, which directly impacts on the efficacy of the treatment, reducing morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the information available in the Sistema de Internações Hospitalares (SIH) of the Sistema de Informações da Secretaria do Estado de Saúde de Mato Grosso and to analyze the increase of pregnant women with eclampsia, in addition to the epidemiological profile of this group. After analyzing the data, it was verified that Afro-Brazilian women, aged between 20-24 years old, are the most affected by eclampsia. In addition, most cases have been reported by private hospitals and more than 50 percent remain hospitalized for up to 3 days. Despite the limitations in the database, the recognition of the most frequent conditions during hospitalization contributes to a better approach to these cases. Keywords:   Risk Factors. Pregnancy Hospital Information System – HIS/SUS. ResumoDurante o período gestacional, a mulher passa por diversas mudanças fisiológicas. Entretanto, existem algumas patologias que podem interferir nesse período. No Brasil, a principal causa de mortalidade materna decorre das síndromes hipertensivas. O aumento dos níveis pressóricos na gravidez pode ser originada por hipertensão crônica prévia ou pela Doença Hipertensiva Específica da Gestação (DHEG). Sendo que, essa última pode evoluir para pré-eclâmpsia, eclampsia ou Síndrome HELLP. Cada uma dessas variações gera consequências para a mãe e o feto, podendo levar à morte, nos casos mais graves. O objetivo desse trabalho é reconhecer o perfil de internações das gestantes acometidas com eclâmpsia, uma vez que o conhecimento dos sinais que a patologia apresenta e o perfil epidemiológico mais frequente auxiliam na identificação precoce dos casos, o que impacta diretamente na eficácia do tratamento, reduzindo a morbimortalidade. Esse estudo, buscou avaliar informações disponíveis no Sistema de Internações Hospitalares (SIH) do Sistema de Informações da Secretaria do Estado de Saúde de Mato Grosso e analisar, por meio deste, a progressão das gestanteacometidas com eclampsia, além do perfil epidemiológico desse grupo.  Após a análise das informações, verificou-se que as mulheres afro brasileiras, com idade entre 20 e 24 anos, são as mais acometidas pela patologia em estudo. Além disso, a maioria dos casos, foram notificados por hospitais particulares e mais da metade, permanece internada por até 3 dias. Apesar das limitações presentes no banco de dados, o reconhecimento das características mais frequentes durante a internação, contribui para uma melhor abordagem desses casos. Palavras-chave: Fatores de Risco. Gravidez. Sistema de Informações Hospitalares.

Cytochemical characteristics of blood cells from Brazilian tortoises (Testudines: Testudinidae)

The hematology of wild and captive animals is essential for obtaining details about species and represents a simple method of diagnosing disease and determining prognosis. Few studies have described the morphology of chelonian blood cells, which are more common in sea and freshwater turtle species. Thus, in order to further our understanding and recognition of different chelonian cells types, the present study aimed to describe blood cells from the two species of Brazilian tortoises, Chelonoidis carbonarius and C. denticulatus. Cytochemical analysis of tortoise blood tissue with Panótico®, made it possible to describe all the of the chelonian cell types (with the exception of thrombocytes): erythrocytes, agranular leukocytes (monocytes and lymphocytes), and granular leukocytes (eosinophils, heterophils, basophils, and azurophils). These data are of high importance for establishing hematological profiles of Brazilian tortoises and reptiles. Therefore, based on our results and on comparative analyses with data from the literature for other reptile species, we can conclude that the blood cells described for Brazilian tortoises are found in all species of reptiles that have been analyzed thus far, and may be characterized and used as a comparative parameter between different groups to evaluate the health status of these animals.