Thermal efficiency dataset around Cuban seas (TEDACS).

Currently, the generation of electrical energy in Cuba is supported by oil and natural gas. These sources, as it is known, are directly linked to large emissions of pollutants that are released into the environment. Therefore, it is necessary to search for new energy options that are directed towards sustainable development, allowing the preservation of natural ecosystems. Owing to the location and geographical characteristics of Cuba, it is necessary to assess the energy possibilities of the seas that surround it and to search for the most feasible areas to obtain energy from the sea temperature. This renewable energy source, in addition to being used to generate electricity, can also be used in derived technologies, such as desalination, refrigeration, and aquaculture. Hence, a dataset is presented with the calculation of the thermal efficiency for the exploitation of thermal energy from the sea, which is based on the thermal gradient between the sea potential temperatures between the shore and the level of depth being analyzed. Outputs of 27 years of daily data from the Copernicus Marine Environmental Monitoring Service (CMEMS) GLOBAL_MULTIYEAR_PHY_001_030 product with a spatial resolution of 1/12° were used. The calculation was made using a Python script of the daily thermal efficiency at depths of 763, 902, and 1062 m, as these are the levels that are traditionally studied for the exploitation of sea thermal energy. In this way, 27 files of each level were generated for a total of 81 files in text format separated by commas. Each file is presented with the date, level, coordinates, and thermal efficiency. The dataset is available from the Science Data Bank repository ( https://doi.org/10.57760/sciencedb.10037).

Soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitors for smoking-associated inflammatory lung diseases and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a meta-analytical systematic review of preclinical and clinical studies.

An evaluation of the inflammatory enzymatic interactions related to pulmonary function can help identify biomarkers for interventions or prophylactic measures to improve patient prognosis. This study aimed to determine the effect of epoxide hydrolase inhibition by GSK2256294 in different pulmonary inflammation models. A secondary search was performed using Medline/PubMed, Web of Science, SciELO, Cochrane Library, Embase, Academic Google, and gray literature by two independent reviewers, who analyzed the methodological quality and consistency of the data. Different variables were compared using a meta-analysis. A total of 86 studies were found, 4 of which were selected from the gray literature. Based on the eligibility criteria, two clinical and one preclinical studies were evaluated. GSK2256294 inhibited the soluble epoxide hydrolase enzyme in both clinical and preclinical models, exhibiting greater effectiveness in clinical studies and contributing to the anti-inflammatory activity mediated by the eicosatrienoic pathway by reducing the levels of dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids and leukotoxin-diol. Overall, GSK2256294 was identified as a promising drug for controlling the deleterious manifestations of lung inflammation. Further clinical and preclinical studies are required to ensure consistency among the evidence and identify other biological activities mediated by GSK2256294.

Potential Associations between Vascular Biology and Hodgkin's Lymphoma: An Overview.

Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) is a lymphatic neoplasm typically found in the cervical lymph nodes. The disease is multifactorial, and in recent years, the relationships between various vascular molecules have been explored in the field of vascular biology. The connection between vascular biology and HL is intricate and the roles of several pathways remain unclear. This review summarizes the cellular and molecular relationships between vascular biology and HL. Proteins associated with various functions in vascular biology, including cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1, IL-13, and IL-21), chemokines (CXCL10, CXCL12, and CCL21), adhesion molecules (ELAM-1/VCAM-1), and growth factors (BDNF/NT-3, platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α), have been linked to tumor activity. Notable tumor activities include the induction of paracrine activation of NF-kB-dependent pathways, upregulation of adhesion molecule regulation, genome amplification, and effective loss of antigen presentation mediated by MHC-II. Preclinical study models, primarily those using cell culture, have been optimized for HL. Animal models, particularly mice, are also used as alternatives to complex biological systems, with studies primarily focusing on the physiopathogenic evaluation of the disease. These biomolecules warrant further study because they may shed light on obscure pathways and serve as targets for prevention and/or treatment interventions.

Proximity matrix indicates heterogeneity in the ability to face child malnutrition and pandemics in Brazil: An ecological study.

Background: Among the social inequalities that continue to still surpasses the basic rights of several citizens, political and environmental organizations decisively "drag" the "ghost" of hunger between different countries of the world, including Brazil. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the difficulties encountered in fighting poverty, which has led Brazil to a worrying situation regarding its fragility in the fight against new pandemics. Objectives: The present study aims to estimate, compare, and report the prevalence of mortality due to child malnutrition among the macro-regions of Brazil and verify possible associations with the outcome of death by COVID-19. This would identify the most fragile macro-regions in the country with the greatest need for care and investments. Methods: The prevalence of mortality was determined using data from the federal government database (DataSus). Child malnutrition was evaluated for the period from 1996 to 2017 and COVID-19 was evaluated from February to December 2020. The (dis)similarity between deaths from malnutrition and COVID-19 was evaluated by proximity matrix. Results: The North and Northeast regions have above average number of deaths than expected for Brazil (p < 0.05). A prospective analysis reveals that the distribution of the North and Northeast macro-regions exceeds the upper limit of the CI in Brazil for up to the year 2024 (p < 0.05). The proximity matrix demonstrated the close relationship between deaths from COVID-19 and malnutrition for the Northern region followed by the Northeast region. Conclusions: There are discrepancies in frequencies between macro-regions. Prospective data indicate serious problems for the North and Northeast regions for the coming years. Therefore, strategies to contain the outcome of health hazards must be intensified in the macro-regions North and Northeast of the country.

Predicting Blood Parasite Load and Influence of Expression of iNOS on the Effect Size of Clinical Laboratory Parameters in Acute Trypanosoma cruzi Infection With Different Inoculum Concentrations in C57BL/6 Mice.

In Chagas disease, the initial responses of phagocyte-mediated innate immunity are strongly associated with the control of Trypanosoma cruzi and are mediated by various signaling pathways, including the inducible nitric oxide synthetase (iNOS) pathway. The clinical and laboratory manifestations of Chagas disease depend on the parasite-host relationship, i.e., the responsive capacity of the host immune system and the immunogenicity of the parasite. Here, we evaluated effect sizes in clinical and laboratory parameters mediated by acute infection with different concentrations of T. cruzi inoculum in mice immunosuppressed via iNOS pathway inactivation. Infection was induced in C57BL/6 wild-type and iNOS-/- mice with the "Y" strain of T. cruzi at three inoculum concentrations (3 × 102, 3 × 103, and 3 × 104). Parasitemia and mortality in both mouse strains were monitored. Immunohistochemistry was performed to quantify amastigotes in cardiac tissues and cardiac musculature cells. Biochemical parameters, such as blood urea nitrogen, sodium, albumin, and globulin concentrations, among others, were measured, and cytokine concentrations were also measured. Effect sizes were determined by the eta squared formula. Compared with that in wild-type animals, mice with an absence of iNOS expression demonstrated a greater parasite load, with earlier infection and a delayed parasitemia peak. Inoculum concentration was positively related to death in the immunosuppressed subgroup. Nineteen parameters (hematological, biochemical, cytokine-related, and histopathological) in the immunocompetent subgroup and four in the immunosuppressed subgroup were associated with parasitemia. Parasitemia, biochemical parameters, and hematological parameters were found to be predictors in the knockout group. The impact of effect sizes on the markers evaluated based on T. cruzi inoculum concentration was notably high in the immunocompetent group (Cohen's d = 88.50%; p <.001). These findings contribute to the understanding of physiopathogenic mechanisms underlying T. cruzi infection and also indicate the influence of the concentration of T. cruzi during infection and the immunosuppression through the iNOS pathway in clinical laboratory heterogeneity reported in acute Chagas disease.

Leprosy morbidity and mortality in Brazil: 2008-2018.

INTRODUCTION: Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. This study aimed to understand the distribution and impact of Hansen's disease in different regions of Brazil and the outcome of cases in recent years. METHODOLOGY: An ecological study was conducted throughout the Brazilian territory for 11 years (2008-2018). The mortality rates, new cases of the disease, and proportion of physical disability and cure were assessed. Data were obtained using DATASUS. GraphPad Excel and "Prisma" programs were used for tabulation and data processing. To present an accurate perspective from all regions, the data were normalized according to the population. RESULTS: Overall, the results demonstrated a significant reduction in the number of leprosy cases in Brazil over the last decade (p < 0.05). North and Midwest regions showed higher mortality rates standardized by age (p < 0.05). The largest number of cases were found in Tocantins and Mato Grosso, inner states of Brazil (p < 0.05). The cure rates in the Southeast and South regions were negatively correlated with the mortality rate in these regions (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Actions to control the spread and unfavorable outcomes of leprosy have been effective in the last decade in most Brazilian states. On the other hand, the states of Tocantins and Mato Grosso, in the North and Midwest regions of Brazil, need to intensify the fight against the disease. Notwithstanding, measures against leprosy should continue and be intensified in regions with greater aggravations, aiming at an effective homogeneous control of the disease.

A critical review of the applicability of serological screening for Leishmaniasis in blood banks in Brazil.

Leishmaniasis is a group of diseases caused by several species of protozoa. It is a major public health concern in its visceral form, accounting annually for 59,000 deaths, and an estimated 12 million infected patients per year. The importance of VL resides not only in its high incidence and wide distribution but also in the possibility of the disease progressing to the severe and lethal forms, especially in children and immunosuppressed individuals, when associated with malnutrition and concomitant infections. This study is a bibliographical review, aiming to understand the sensitivity and specificity parameters of the tests used to detect Leishmaniasis, as well as to understand if there is any relevance in proposing a serological screening for Leishmaniasis in blood banks. In general, we observed that there are currently several types of tests for detecting Leishmaniasis: parasitological, serological and molecular. In such tests, many serological methods and kits are available for the detection of asymptomatic visceral leishmaniasis, but there is variability in sensitivity and specificity among the methods. The gold standard for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis is the parasitological method, through the aspiration of bone marrow, with higher sensitivity by splenic puncture. Due to the relevance of the disease and the available data from research centers, there is evidence to propose a transfusion serological screening for visceral Leishmaniasis, pointing to the need for further studies.

Enzymatic synthesis of medium chain monoglycerides in a solvent-free system.

The synthesis of monocaprin, monolaurin, and monomyristin in a solvent-free system was conducted by mixing a commercial immobilized lipase with the organic reactants (glycerol and fatty acids) in a 20-mL batch reactor with constant stirring. The effects of temperature, fatty acid/glycerol molar ratio, and enzyme concentration on the reaction conversion were determined. The addition of molecular sieves in the assays of monomyristin synthesis was also evaluated. The reactions were carried out for 5 to 6 h and the nonpolar phase was analyzed by gas chromatography. The best results in terms of selectivity and conversion (defined as the percentage of fatty acid consumed) were achieved when the stoichiometric amount of reagents (molar ratio = 1) and 9% (w/w) commercial enzyme were used and the reaction was performed at 60 degrees C. The addition of molecular sieves did not improve the synthesis of monomyristin. Conversions as high as 80%, with monoglycerides being the major products, were attained. After 5 h of reaction, the concentration of monoglyceride was about twice that of diglyceride, and only trace amounts of triglyceride were found. The results illustrate the technical possibility of producing medium chain monoglycerides in a solvent-free medium using a simple batch reactor.