Transition between subcutaneous and sublingual allergen immunotherapy: Recommendations of the Brazilian Association of Allergy and Immunology (ASBAI).

The use of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) in Brazil has specific regional conditions owing to the pattern of allergen sensitization, as well as to genetic, socioeconomic, and cultural characteristics. This review article aims to discuss the clinical practice of AIT by the subcutaneous or sublingual route in Brazil, addressing the possibilities of transition between these forms of administration. A systematic review using the PubMed and Cochrane databases was performed, and the websites of major allergy and immunology organizations were consulted. Knowledge of the mechanism of action of subcutaneous immunotherapy and sublingual immunotherapy, together with Brazilian real-life experience, allowed us to establish recommendations regarding switching routes of AIT administration in selected cases. Careful analysis of each clinical situation is necessary to perform the transition between subcutaneous and sublingual allergen immunotherapy.

Machine Learning to Predict Enzyme-Substrate Interactions in Elucidation of Synthesis Pathways: A Review.

Enzyme-substrate interactions play a fundamental role in elucidating synthesis pathways and synthetic biology, as they allow for the understanding of important aspects of a reaction. Establishing the interaction experimentally is a slow and costly process, which is why this problem has been addressed using computational methods such as molecular dynamics, molecular docking, and Monte Carlo simulations. Nevertheless, this type of method tends to be computationally slow when dealing with a large search space. Therefore, in recent years, methods based on artificial intelligence, such as support vector machines, neural networks, or decision trees, have been implemented, significantly reducing the computing time and covering vast search spaces. These methods significantly reduce the computation time and cover broad search spaces, rapidly reducing the number of interacting candidates, as they allow repetitive processes to be automated and patterns to be extracted, are adaptable, and have the capacity to handle large amounts of data. This article analyzes these artificial intelligence-based approaches, presenting their common structure, advantages, disadvantages, limitations, challenges, and future perspectives.

Oil reaching the coast: Is Brazil on the route of international oceanic dumping?

After the oil spill disaster occurred in 2019, various events of tar balls reaching the Brazilian coast and archipelagos have been reported. The hypothesis here is that the oil/waste dumped in international waters by ships on-route to Cape of Good Hope is reaching the Brazilian coast. On that account, 30-year probabilistic simulations were used to estimate the probability of dumped oil residue reaching the Brazilian coast. The simulations considered three Zones following the South Atlantic route. The results have shown that up to 28.5 % of large ships could dump oil on-route. Inside the Brazilian Exclusive Economic Zone, the probability of dumped oil/waste reaching the coastline is about 62 % and quickly decreases for Dumping Zones 2 and 3. Equatorial and Northeast shores of Brazil are the most vulnerable to oceanic dumping when compared to other regions.

Metabarcoding approach to identify bacterial community profiling related to nosocomial infection and bacterial trafficking-routes in hospital environments.

Nosocomial infections (NIs) appear in patients under medical care in the hospital. The surveillance of the bacterial communities employing high-resolution 16S rRNA profiling, known as metabarcoding, represents a reliable method to establish factors that may influence the composition of the bacterial population during NIs. The present study aimed to utilize high-resolution 16S rRNA profiling to identify high bacterial diversity by analyzing 11 inside and 10 outside environments from the General Hospital of Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Brazil. Our results identified a high bacterial diversity, and among these, the most abundant bacterial genera linked to NIs were Cutibacterium, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and Corynebacterium. A Acinetobacter was detected in cafeterias, bus stops, and adult and pediatric intensive care units (ICUs). Data suggest an association between transport and alimentation areas proximal to the hospital ICU environment. Interestingly, the correlation and clusterization analysis showed the potential of the external areas to directly influence the ICU pediatric department microbial community, including the outpatient's clinic, visitor halls, patient reception, and the closest cafeterias. Our results demonstrate that high-resolution 16S rRNA profiling is a robust and reliable tool for bacterial genomic surveillance. In addition, the metabarcoding approach might help elaborate decontamination policies, and consequently reduce NIs.

Optimization of waste collection through the sequencing of micro-routes and transfer station convenience analysis: An Argentinian case study.

Municipal solid waste management is a paramount activity in modern cities due to environmental, social and economic problems that can arise when mishandled. In this work, the sequencing of micro-routes in the Argentine city of Bahía Blanca is addressed, which is modelled as a vehicle routing problem with travel time limit and the vehicle's capacity. Particularly, we propose two mathematical formulations based on mixed integer programming and we solve a set of instances of the city of Bahía Blanca based on real data. Moreover, with this model, we estimate the total distance and travel time of the waste collection and use this data to analyse the possibility of installing a transfer station. The results demonstrate the competitiveness of the approach to resolve realistic instances of the target problem and suggest the convenience of installing a transfer station in the city considering the reduction of the travelled distance.

Incorporação de esomeprazol em um hospital universitário: uma análise de custo-minimização / Incorporation of esomeprazole in a university hospital: a cost-minimization analysis

Introdução: Inibidores de bomba de prótons (IBP) são amplamente utilizados na profilaxia de úlceras de estresse. O omeprazol é o IBP mais prescrito no Brasil, porém, sua formulação oral convencional é inadequada para administração por sonda devido ao risco de obstrução. A apresentação injetável de omeprazol possui custo muito superior à formulação oral. O esomeprazol, por ser constituído de microgrânulos, é uma alternativa ao omeprazol injetável, pois pode ser administrado por sonda e ainda possibilitaria redução de custos. Objetivo: Analisar por meio de custo-minimização o impacto financeiro da incorporação do esomeprazol em um hospital universitário secundário. Material e Métodos: Estudo observacional transversal retrospectivo para identificar e analisar o consumo e custo relacionado ao uso de omeprazol injetável e esomeprazol nos anos de 2021 e 2022. A partir dos dados levantados, foi realizada análise de custo-minimização e determinado o impacto financeiro após incorporação do esomeprazol. Resultados: Houve redução de 76,7% no consumo de omeprazol injetável no ano de 2022. A análise de custo-minimização apontou um custo real de R$20.374,96 no ano de 2022, referente às 906 doses utilizadas no período, destas, 46,4% eram de omeprazol injetável e 53,6% de esomperazol. Considerando o cenário com terapia exclusiva com omeprazol injetável, o custo simulado foi de R$ 41.252,05. O impacto financeiro foi de R$ -20.877,09, resultando em economia de recursos de 50,6%. Conclusão: A incorporação de esomeprazol no elenco de medicamentos de um hospital universitário gerou redução significativa de custo, implicando em economia de mais de 50% no consumo global de IBP e de mais de 70% no consumo de omeprazol injetável, no ano de 2022.

Introduction: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely used in stress ulcers prophylaxis. Omeprazole is the most prescribed PPI in Brazil, but its conventional oral formulation is unsuitable for administration through a tube due to the risk of obstruction. The injectable presentation of omeprazole has a much higher cost than the oral formulation. Esomeprazole, composed of microgranules, is an alternative to injectable omeprazole as it can be administered through a tube and could potentially lead to a cost reduction. Objective: To analyze, through cost minimization, the financial impact of incorporating esomeprazole in a secondary university hospital. Material and Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional observational study was conducted to identify and analyze the consumption and cost related to the use of injectable omeprazole and esomeprazole in the years 2021 and 2022. Cost-minimization analysis was performed based on the collected data, to determine the financial impact after incorporating esomeprazole. Results: There was a 76.7% reduction in the consumption of injectable omeprazole in 2022. The cost-minimization analysis indicated a real cost of R$20,374.96 in 2022 for the 906 doses used during the period, of which 46.4% were injectable omeprazole and 53.6% were esomeprazole. Considering the scenario with exclusive therapy using injectable omeprazole, the simulated cost was R$41,252.05. The financial impact was R$-20,877.09, resulting in a resource saving of 50.6%. Conclusion: The incorporation of esomeprazole into the list of medications at a university hospital led to a significant cost reduction, resulting in over 50% savings in PPI consumption and over 70% in injectable omeprazole consumption, in 2022.

Evolution of pediatric pharmaceutical forms for treatment of Hansen's disease (leprosy).

INTRODUCTION: Leprosy is a neglected, infectious, granulomatous and chronic disease caused by the pathological agent Mycobacterium leprae. The course of the disease is more aggressive in patients under 15 years of age, but the current treatment offered worldwide consists of solid forms, by the combination of antibiotics such as rifampicin, clofazimine and dapsone. This represents results in lack of adherence in pediatric patients and drug therapy failure, although numerous formulations and technologies have already been developed. AREA COVERED: This study aims to analyze the technological evolution of the pharmaceutical treatment of leprosy, aimed at children. A review of patents around the world was conducted to look for technical and clinical aspects of formulations and devices. EXPERT OPINION: Innovative formulations for pediatric patients were classified according to the routes of administration as oral, inhalable, injectable and transdermal. The formulations were organized as alternatives for pediatric therapy, taking into account the physicochemical aspects of drugs and the physiological aspects of pediatric patients. Among the difficulties for the patented formulations to reach the market, of special note is the low stability of the physicochemical characteristics of the drugs. Optimization of formulations would favor the pediatric treatment of leprosy, aiming at therapeutic success.

Administração de medicamentos por via intramuscular: caracterização dos vídeos brasileiros veiculados no YouTube® / Intramuscular drug administration: characterization of Brazilian videos on YouTube®

RESUMO Objetivo caracterizar os vídeos que contém a demonstração do procedimento de administração de medicamentos por via intramuscular em indivíduos adultos. Métodos estudo de corte transversal descritivo, foram selecionados 44 vídeos brasileiros disponíveis no YouTube® que abordavam o procedimento de administração de medicamentos por via intramuscular. Resultados a maioria dos vídeos selecionados é de origem pessoal (86,4%), tem como autor um técnico de Enfermagem (59,1%), adota a região dorsoglútea como local de injeção (54,5%), foi produzido em ambiente de saúde utilizando um paciente para a demonstração do procedimento (52,3%). Nenhum vídeo apresentou a completude do procedimento, sendo identificada grande frequência de erros em todas as etapas do procedimento. Observou-se uma diferença estatisticamente significante entre os testes de confiabilidade e popularidade dos vídeos (p=0,042). Conclusão os vídeos que abordam o procedimento de administração de medicamentos por via intramuscular disponíveis na plataforma YouTube® foram considerados atuais, de pouca relevância, elaborados por fontes não confiáveis, de baixa acurácia e frágil finalidade. Contribuições para a prática os vídeos disponíveis na plataforma YouTube® sobre a administração de medicamentos por via intramuscular não devem ser indicados como material educativo para a formação ou atualização profissional.

ABSTRACT Objective to characterize videos that contain a demonstration of the procedure for administering drugs intramuscularly to adults. Methods a descriptive cross-sectional study, 44 Brazilian videos available on YouTube® were selected which addressed the procedure of intramuscular drug administration. Results the majority of the videos selected are of personal origin (86.4%), were made by a Nursing technician (59.1%), used the dorsal gluteal region as the injection spot (54.5%), and were produced in a healthcare environment using a patient to demonstrate the procedure (52.3%). No video showed the completeness of the procedure, and a high frequency of errors was identified at all stages of the procedure. There was a statistically significant difference between the reliability and popularity tests of the videos (p=0.042). Conclusion the videos on intramuscular drug administration available on the YouTube® platform were considered to be up-to-date, of little relevance, produced by unreliable sources, of low accuracy, and with a weak purpose. Contributions to practice the videos available on the YouTube® platform on intramuscular drug administration should not be used as educational material for professional training or updating.

Exploiting Polymeric Films as a Multipurpose Drug Delivery System: a Review.

Polymeric films are drug delivery systems that maintain contact with the delivery tissue and sustain a controlled release of therapeutic molecules. These systems allow a longer time of drug contact with the target site in the case of topical treatments and allow the controlled administration of drugs. They can be manufactured by various methods such as solvent casting, hot melt extrusion, electrospinning, and 3D bioprinting. Furthermore, they can employ various polymers, for example PVP, PVA, cellulose derivatives, chitosan, gelling gum, pectin, and alginate. Its versatility is also applicable to different routes of administration, as it can be administered to the skin, oral mucosa, vaginal canal, and eyeballs. All these factors allow numerous combinations to obtain a better treatment. This review focuses on exploring some possible ways to develop them and some particularities and advantages/disadvantages in each case. It also aims to show the versatility of these systems and the advantages and disadvantages in each case, as they bring the opportunity to develop different medicines to facilitate therapies for the most diverse purposes .

Transição de via de linezolida endovenosa para via oral: uma análise de custo-minimização / Switching from intravenous to oral linezolid therapy: a cost-minimization analysis

Objetivo: Comparar custos da terapia endovenosa exclusiva com linezolida com os custos da terapia iniciada por via endovenosa com transição para via oral após 72 horas, como estratégia de intervenção em programas de gestão de antimicrobianos. Métodos: Avaliação econômica de custo-minimização comparando custos diretos da terapia endovenosa exclusiva com linezolida com a terapia endovenosa seguida de transição para via oral em cenário simulado, sob a perspectiva do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), com árvore de decisão como modelo para tomada de decisão. Resultados: A alternativa englobando a transição de via mostrou-se a mais econômica em todos os cenários analisados. Para 28 dias de tratamento com linezolida, houve redução de 22% nos custos, considerando o paciente internado. Ao considerar alta após o sexto dia de tratamento, a redução de custos variou de 26%, com financiamento pelo SUS do restante do tratamento, a 84%, com financiamento do tratamento pós-alta pelo paciente. Conclusão: Conclui-se que a transição de via de linezolida é uma importante estratégia nos programas de gerenciamento de antimicrobianos, capaz de gerar economia significativa para a instituição. As avaliações econômicas de custo-minimização, nesse contexto, são uma importante ferramenta para demonstrar o aspecto econômico com potencial para sensibilizar gestores e tomadores de decisão.

Objective: To compare the direct costs of linezolid intravenous therapy with the costs of intravenous therapy switching to oral therapy after 72 hours as an intervention strategy in antimicrobial stewardship programs. Methods: Economic evaluation cost-minimization comparing direct costs of exclusive linezolid intravenous therapy with intravenous therapy for 72 hours and after switching to oral therapy in a simulated scenario, from the perspective of the National Health Service, with a decision tree as a decision modeling. Results: The alternative encompassing the therapy transition proved to be the most economical in all analyzed scenarios. For 28 days of treatment with linezolid, there was a 22% reduction in costs, considering the hospitalized patient. When considering discharge after the sixth day of treatment, the cost reduction ranged from 26%, with funding from the National Health Service for the rest of the treatment, to 84%, with funding for the post-discharge treatment by the patient. Conclusion: It was concluded that the linezolid therapy transition is an important strategy in antimicrobial management programs, capable of generating significant savings for the institution. In this context, economic cost-minimization assessments are an important tool to demonstrate the economic aspect with the potential to raise awareness among managers and decision-makers.

Vaccines, adjuvants and key factors for mucosal immune response.

Vaccines are the most effective tool to control infectious diseases, which provoke significant morbidity and mortality rates. Most vaccines are administered through the parenteral route and can elicit a robust systemic humoral response, but they induce a weak T-cell-mediated immunity and are poor inducers of mucosal protection. Considering that most pathogens enter the body through mucosal surfaces, a vaccine that elicits protection in the first site of contact between the host and the pathogen is promising. However, despite the advantages of mucosal vaccines as good options to confer protection on the mucosal surface, only a few mucosal vaccines are currently approved. In this review, we discuss the impact of vaccine administration in different mucosal surfaces; how appropriate adjuvants enhance the induction of protective mucosal immunity and other factors that can influence the mucosal immune response to vaccines.

A Systematic Review on Cannabinoids for Neuropathic Pain Administered by Routes Other than Oral or Inhalation.

The use of cannabis and cannabinoid products for the treatment of neuropathic pain is a growing area of research. This type of pain has a high prevalence, limited response to available therapies and high social and economic costs. Systemic cannabinoid-based therapies have shown some unwanted side effects. Alternative routes of administration in the treatment of neuropathic pain may provide better acceptance for the treatment of multiple pathologies associated with neuropathic pain. To examine the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of cannabinoids (individualized formulations, phytocannabinoids, and synthetics) administered by routes other than oral or inhalation compared to placebo and/or conventional medications in the management of neuropathic pain. This systematic review of the literature reveals a lack of clinical research investigating cannabis by routes other than oral and inhalation as a potential treatment for neuropathic pain and highlights the need for further investigation with well-designed clinical trials. There is a significant lack of evidence indicating that cannabinoids administered by routes other than oral or inhaled may be an effective alternative, with better tolerance and safety in the treatment of neuropathic pain. Higher quality, long-term, randomized controlled trials are needed to examine whether cannabinoids administered by routes other than inhalation and oral routes may have a role in the treatment of neuropathic pain.

Cocaine trafficking from non-traditional ports: examining the cases of Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.

This article presents the results of an exploratory study aimed to analyze the contexts in which the use of Non-Traditional ports of cocaine departure and counter-intuitive routes is prioritized, based on the experience of Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. Moreover, we show that criminal organizations prioritize the Ports of Buenos Aires, San Antonio and Montevideo, and the counter-intuitive routes that lead to them, because they are spaces that generate incentives linked to the porosity of borders, the lack of control at the ports, and the possibility of exploiting the country's lack of reputation for drug exportation to re-export cocaine undetected. This study constitutes a precedent for future research on the role of South American Southern Cone ports in cocaine trafficking. We can identify at least four emerging lines of research: 1. Cocaine trafficking from landlocked countries; 2. The role of the waterway Paraná-Paraguay; 3. The link between Non-Traditional ports of cocaine departure and new markets; and 4. Other Non-Traditional Ports of cocaine departure, which are not containerized.

Allogrooming, Self-grooming, and Touching Behavior as a Mechanism to Disperse Insecticides Inside Colonies of a Leaf-Cutting Ant.

Toxic baits, containing the active ingredients sulfluramid or fipronil, are the main methods to control leaf-cutting ants of the genera Atta Fabricius, 1805, and Acromyrmex Mayr, 1865 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). However, the insecticide dispersion among members of the colony during the control needs further studies. We studied whether the behaviors of allogrooming, self-grooming, and contact among individuals spread the insecticides among those of the colony. The insecticides sulfluramid and fipronil (0.1% and 1.0% (w/w)) were applied topically in groups of workers of Atta sexdens (Linnaeus, 1758), and the social interactions among them with or without insecticide were studied. In addition, toxic baits (sulfluramid or fipronil) were provided to colonies and their behavioral acts were observed. At the end of the experiment, colony mortality, number and mass of dead workers, and mass of wet waste were compared between ant nests receiving baits and ants with topical application. In the topical application, behavioral analysis showed higher interaction between ants in the colonies and touch and allogrooming behaviors as the most frequent in those that received the concentrations of sulfluramid. In the baits, the behavior of licking the pellet and allogrooming was more frequent. Colony mortality was faster for those that received topical application, especially with the insecticide fipronil (0.1%). However, the number and mass of dead workers was similar between topical application and toxic baits. In the toxic baits, the licking behavior of the bait pellets and subsequent allogrooming probably dispersed the insecticides. In the topical application, the route of the insecticide occurred by excessive touches among workers, with subsequent allogrooming. Thus, allogrooming, self-grooming, and touching among workers increased the dispersion of insecticides among members of the ant colonies.

Effectiveness of three different local routes of dexamethasone administration on postoperative sequelae following mandibular third molar surgery. A prospective randomised single-blind clinical study / Eficácia de três diferentes vias locais de administração de dexametasona em sequelas pós-operatórias após cirurgia de terceiros molares inferiores. Um estudo clínico prospectivo randomizado simples-cego

Objective: The aim of this study was to provide evidence for comparing the effectiveness of three different routes of local administration of Dexamethasone on the postoperative pain, edema and trismus following surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molar. Material and Methods: Forty-five patients underwent surgical removal of impacted lower third molars and were randomly allocated postoperatively into 3 groups: 8 mg of dexamethasone injected into the submucosa of the vestibule near the surgical site (group I), 8 mg of dexamethasone injected into the pterygomandibular space (group II) and 10 mg of dexamethasone powder applied to the extraction site, after bleeding control (group III). Facial swelling and maximal interincisal opening were measured at preoperatively. Pain was measured by the patient response to a visual analogue scale. Pain perception, Facial edema and trismus were evaluated for one week postoperatively. Results: There was no significant difference between the three groups concerning pain after 1, 2, 5, 7 days of follow up. However, group II showed less pain at 3 and 4 days. The difference between edema measurements was not significant in the three groups at 1, 5, 7 days, though in group I and II edema subsided from day 2. As for trismus, group I and III showed statistically significant lower maximum interincisal opening measurement than group II after two days. Conclusion: Local administration of Dexamethasone through three different routes is beneficial in decreasing postoperative sequelae following third molar surgery. Pterygomandibular space injection of Dexamethasone resulted in earlier resolution of pain, and less facial edema and trismus at the second postoperative day compared to the submucosal injection and transalveolar application. However, at one week the difference in measurements of the three variables between the groups was not significant. (AU)

Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi fornecer evidências para comparar a eficácia de três diferentes vias de administração local de dexametasona na dor pós-operatória, edema e trismo após a remoção cirúrgica do terceiro molar inferior impactado. Material e Métodos: Quarenta e cinco pacientes foram submetidos à remoção cirúrgica de terceiros molares inferiores impactados e distribuídos aleatoriamente no pós-operatório em 3 grupos: 8 mg de dexametasona injetados na submucosa vestíbular próximo ao local da cirurgia (grupo I), 8 mg de dexametasona injetados no espaço pterigomandibular (grupo II) e 10 mg de pó de dexametasona aplicados no local da extração, após o controle do sangramento (grupo III). Edema facial e abertura interincisal máxima foram medidos no pré-operatório. A dor foi medida pela resposta do paciente a uma escala visual analógica. Percepção de dor, edema facial e trismo foram avaliados por uma semana de pós-operatório. Resultados: Não houve diferença significativa entre os três grupos em relação à dor após 1, 2, 5, 7 dias de acompanhamento. No entanto, o grupoII mostrou menos dor em 3 e 4 dias. A diferença entre as medidas de edema não foi significativa nos três grupos em 1, 5, 7 dias, embora nos grupos I e II o edema cedeu a partir do dia 2. Quanto ao trismo, os grupos I e III apresentaram medida de abertura interincisal máxima inferior estatisticamente significativa do que o grupo II depois de dois dias. Conclusão: A administração local de dexametasona por três vias diferentes é benéfica na redução das sequelas pós-operatórias após a cirurgia do terceiro molar. A injeção de dexametasona no espaço pterigomandibular resultou na resolução mais precoce da dor e menos edema facial e trismo no segundo dia de pós-operatório em comparação com a injeção submucosa e a aplicação transalveolar. No entanto, em uma semana, a diferença nas medidas das três variáveis entre os grupos não foi significativa.(AU)

Novos olhares sobre a cidade: uma experiência educativa de lazer e turismo com estudantes da educação de jovens e adultos / New perpectives on the city: an educational experience of leisure and tourism with students from the education program for young people and adults

Este artigo pretende refletir sobre a constituição de novos olhares sobre a cidade e o espaço urbano a partir de uma experiência educativa no âmbito do lazer e do turismo realizado por estudantes do curso técnico em Guia de Turismo do Instituto Federal do Espírito Santo (IFES) ­ campus Vitória, ofertado na modalidade de Educação de Jovens e Adultos (EJA). A partir de uma reflexão teórica sobre os limites e potencialidades do lazer, bem como sua importância para a concretização do direito à cidade, buscou-se demonstrar como uma experiência educativa relacionada à elaboração de roteiros turísticos urbanos contribuiu para que os estudantes, em sua maioria, de bairros de periferia, ressignificassem sua visão sobre a cidade, passando a valorizar sua identidade cultural, espaços de vivência e antigos espaços de lazer.

This article aims to reflect on the constitution of new views of the city, and the urban space from an educational experience in the field of leisure and tourism carried out by students of the technical course in Tourism Guide of the Federal Institute of Espírito Santo (Ifes) - Vitória campus, offered in the Education Program for Young People and Adults (EJA). From a theoretical reflection on the limits and potentialities of leisure, as well as its importance for the realization of the right to the city, we sought to demonstrate how an educational experience related to the elaboration of urban tourist itineraries helped students, most of whom from suburban neighborhoods, redefine their views of the city, valuing their cultural identity, living spaces, and former recreation areas.

Effect of Enterococcus faecium as a Water and/or Feed Additive on the Gut Microbiota, Hematologic and Immunological Parameters, and Resistance Against Francisellosis and Streptococcosis in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

In the present study, we evaluated the effects of administering Enterococcus faecium in food and/or water on the hematological and immunological parameters, intestinal microbiota, resistance to bacterial diseases (streptococcosis and francisellosis) and growth of Nile tilapia. Before the in vivo experiment, probiotic bacteria isolated from Nile tilapia were selected via inhibition tests. Sequencing, annotation, and assembly of the complete genome of the selected bacteria as well as other tests were performed using bioinformatics tools. Three treatments were implemented: G1 (probiotic feeding), G2 (probiotic in water), and G3 (probiotic in food and water); and a negative control (NC) was also employed. Treatment lasted 38 days, and each group consisted of fish and two repetitions. The fish were divided and infected with Streptococcus agalactiae S13 (serotype Ib) and Francisella orientalis. The G1 group had a higher average final weight gain than the G2, G3, and NC groups. Further, a significant increase in the number of thrombocytes was observed in the groups administered probiotics in the diet (G1 and G3). A statistical difference was observed in the mortality of fish infected with S. agalactiae in the NC compared to the treated groups. Cetobacterium was the 43 most abundant genus in the intestinal microbiota of all groups, including the NC group. E. faecium increased the immunity of fish administered the treatment and decreased the mortality caused by S. agalactiae. As an autochtone probiotic, E. faecium does not interfere with the local ecosystem and thus has a great probiotic potential for Nile tilapia in Brazil.

Electric car battery: An overview on global demand, recycling and future approaches towards sustainability.

Li-ion batteries are daily present in our electronic devices. These batteries are used in electric and hybrid vehicles supporting the current agreements to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, the electric vehicle demand has increased in the world. As Li-ion batteries are composed of critical metals in which there is a risk of interruption of supply in the medium term, recycling is the key to a sustainable future without internal combustion vehicles. Understanding the current scenario and future perspectives is important for strategies of new battery design, recycling routes and reverse logistics, as well as policies for sustainable development. This paper presents an overview of current and future vehicles used worldwide. An increase from 1.3 to 2 billion vehicles is expected worldwide until 2030; an outstanding demand will occur mainly in BRICS countries. The data demonstrated a correlation between the number of vehicles in use and GDP. Patents and processes designed for recycling Li-ion batteries and the new developments on pyro-, hydro-, and bio-metallurgical routes have been revised. The manuscript describes the importance and benefits of recycling as regards the supply of critical metals and future trends towards a circular economy.

Revisiting the acute kidney injury in Wistar rats experimentally envenomated wity Bothrops jararacussu venom.

There is no consensus on whether serotherapy prevents acute kidney injury (AKI) and there is no pharmacotherapy to impede the disease. We aimed to elaborate an AKI model induced by the administration of Bothrops jararacussu (Bj) venom for preclinical studies. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 different groups: (1) Bj-IV: intravenous administration of 0.4 mg/kg Bj; (2) Bj-IP: intraperitoneal administration of 2.0 mg/kg Bj; (3) Bj-IM: intramuscular administration of 3.5 mg/kg Bj. For each corresponding control group, a 0.9% saline solution was administered. Kidneys, blood and urine samples were collected 24 or 72 h after administration of the Bj venom for renal function analysis. The IV- and IP-Bj groups presented a moderate tubular injury (score 3) and a time-dependent kidney dysfunction. In the Bj-IM group, renal tubular injury was aggravated (score 4) with collagen deposition and renal dysfunction was observed in the first 24 h: hyperfiltration, proteinuria, albuminuria and decreased fractional sodium excretion (FENa), regardless of the administered dose. Over time, the glomerular lesion was intensified, with a decrease in glomerular filtration rate (GFR; 67%), blood urea-nitrogen (BUN; 68%) and urine volume decrease (71%). Proteinuria and tubular function returned to control levels after 72 h. We attributed the pronounced kidney injury and reduced filtration function in the Bj-IM to the muscle damage provoked by the IM administration. We concluded that the Bj-IM is the best preclinical model of AKI with the monitoring of the progression of renal function in the periods of 24 and 72 h.

A survey on experiences in leachate treatment: Common practices, differences worldwide and future perspectives.

The necessity for landfill leachate treatment is a requisite to reduce the environmental impact related to municipal solid waste landfills and different aspects must be considered while deciding for an appropriate treatment process. For example, it was demonstrated that the landfill leachate stabilization in tropical regions is achieved right after its first year of operation, requiring technologies capable of treating leachates of a higher recalcitrant character if compared to those leachates from temperate regions and same landfill age. In view of its complexity and variability, stand-alone processes (either biological or physicochemical) are often ineffective in attaining the threshold values for its discharge in receiving bodies. Due to that fact, full-scale facilities have adopted integrated routes, harvesting the benefits of both biological and physicochemical processes. The implementation of membrane bioreactors followed by polishing membrane separation process (nanofiltration and reverse osmosis) seems to be a trend in leachate treatment by full-scale treatment plants. This technology is widely employed in China, European countries, and tropical countries as Brazil, generally with a treatment cost lower than the costs related to its disposal in domestic effluent collection systems. From the technologies already employed by full-scale facilities, four integrated routes were proposed for a sensitive analysis considering the treatment of a landfill leachate of different physicochemical characteristics. From all routes, those employing the membrane separation process as a polishing step had a better efficacy in attaining the threshold values for leachate disposal, being that an interesting alternative for leachate polishing by full-scale facilities.