Outcome of patients with high-risk Duke treadmill score and normal myocardial perfusion imaging on spect

BACKGROUND

Annual mortality rate can range from <1% for patients with normal myocardial perfusion by SPECT to >5% based on a high-risk Duke treadmill score (DTS). Information on the prognosis of patients with the combination of HRDTS and normal SPECT is limited and is the purpose of this study.

METHODS

Data from a large nuclear cardiology registry (n = 17,972 patients) were reviewed. A total of 340 had HRDTS (score ≤ -11) while undergoing SPECT. Combined cardiovascular mortality and non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) and cardiovascular mortality alone were available in 310 patients at a mean follow-up of 4.01 ± 1.5 years.

RESULTS

The majority of the patients had abnormal SPECT (n = 270, 71%). The abnormal SPECT patients compared to the normal were older (65.6 vs 62.8 years of age; P = .025), more likely to have abnormal left ventricular ejection fraction (26.1% vs 0%; P < .0001), known coronary artery disease (CAD, 35.9% vs 7.8%; P < .0001) and lower DTS (-14.5 vs -13.2; P = .0006), Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated a significantly lower cardiovascular mortality (5.4% vs 0%, P = .02) and combined outcome of MI and cardiovascular mortality (15% vs 4.4%, P = .009) in patients with normal versus abnormal SPECT.

CONCLUSIONS

High-risk DTS is associated with abnormal perfusion SPECT in most patients, but nearly one-third of the patients had normal perfusion. Patients with a normal SPECT had a lower cardiovascular event rates.

Renewable and Sustainable Biorefinery: A Patent Review

BACKGROUND

Biorefineries can refer to forms of fuel production through renewable biomass derivatives, using different structures of lignocellulosic material, such as lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose. From lignin, we can produce natural binders and adhesives, among other products. With hemicellulose, we can produce emulsifiers, resins, or lubricants, for example. Using cellulose, we can produce fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, or even solvents. Fuels from biorefineries can replace, totally or partially, non-renewable fuels that pollute the environment, such as oil. Considering the climate emergency, we are experiencing, the tendency to reduce the availability of oil, and the negative environmental impacts caused by it, fuels obtained through the processing of renewable plant materials present themselves as a good alternative to replacing fossil fuels. Firstgeneration ethanol (1G) can be obtained by fermenting, for example, sugar cane juice. Secondgeneration (2G) ethanol can be obtained by processing lignocellulosic waste. In this process, there must be pre-treatment and hydrolysis of the biomass before the fermentation and distillation processes. Third-generation ethanol (3G) can be obtained through the fermentation of substrate present in microalgae. Fourth-generation ethanol (4G), in turn, involves the integration of production processes from other generations, increasing the efficiency of 2G and 3G processes for ethanol production.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to investigate the scenario of patent registrations filed both on the Google Patents platform and Espacenet, which proposes the production of fuels from biorefineries, that are renewable and sustainable.

METHODS

Although there are other lignocellulosic products originating from biorefineries, we will limit ourselves to patents aimed at the production of cellulosic ethanol. The search covered patents filed in the last 5 years (2019-2023). The 10 patents from each of the 3 biotechnological areas were selected, classified as agriculture, environment, and bioprocesses/bioengineering, totaling 30 patents to be analyzed. After selecting patents through the insertion of keywords and Boolean operators, the patents were selected by reading the title, its summary, and, finally, the full document to verify which were aligned with the study.

RESULTS

Analysis of the documents revealed that, in most cases, China leads the way in patent applications involving the use of fuels, such as cellulosic ethanol, which are environmentally renewable and sustainable. The main strategies for the production of renewable and sustainable fuels in the context of biorefineries explore mechanisms for reusing agricultural waste, pre-treatment of residual biomass, and reuse of biorefinery waste, among other technologies.

CONCLUSION

The future perspective is that the production of renewable and sustainable energy, such as that coming from biorefinery fuels, has solved its challenges and contributes to the growing global energy transition process. Analyzing and incorporating advances found through patent analysis into technological development provides mechanisms for better performance in the biorefinery sector. In addition to innovations, it is possible to analyze economic and environmental challenges, promoting integrated strategies that combine sustainability and commercial viability. Thus, the energy transition can be accelerated with solutions that increase the efficiency and technological innovation of biorefineries.

Biosurfactants Used in the Bioremediation of Soils Contaminated With Hydrocarbons - Overview of the State of the Art and Future Perspectives

BACKGROUND

The increasing industrialization and hydrocarbon use have led to concerning soil contamination. Oil spills and improper disposal of oily waste pose threats to ecosystems and human health. The recovery of these environments is essential, but separating oily components from soil remains challenging. Current bioremediation strategies using synthetic surfactants can cause secondary contamination. Microbial biosurfactants, which are biodegradable and low in toxicity, emerge as promising solutions, and this study reviews methods for utilizing these biosurfactants in the environmental bioremediation of hydrocarbons.

OBJECTIVE

This study explores the efficient and eco-friendly use of biosurfactants for hydrocarbon- contaminated soil management, providing a market-oriented analysis of recent patents and trends, and highlighting the transition from academic research to industrial applications.

METHOD

The methodology involves an extensive literature review, careful selection of recent studies and patents on biosurfactants in hydrocarbon bioremediation, critical analysis of in-situ and ex-situ application methods, assessment of commercial viability, and synthesis of findings to contribute to sustainable solutions in contaminated environments.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrates the extensive applicability of biosurfactants across various industrial sectors. The increasing interest in incorporating biosurfactants into industrial processes is driven by the pressing need for sustainable solutions to address tangible market challenges. Notably, the cosmetics industry exhibited the highest number of patents related to the use of biosurfactants, underscoring its significant role in advancing the adoption of these environmentally friendly agents. This trend highlights the critical demand for sustainable alternatives in product formulations and underscores the pivotal role of biosurfactants in fostering eco-innovation within the industry.

Production and characterization of the lipopeptide with anti-adhesion for oral biofilm on the surface of titanium for dental implants

Titanium implants are subject to bacterial adhesion and peri-implantitis induction, and biosurfactants bring a new alternative to the fight against infections. This work aimed to produce and characterize the biosurfactant from Bacillus subtilis ATCC 19,659, its anti-adhesion and antimicrobial activity, and cell viability. Anti-adhesion studies were carried out against Streptococcus sanguinis, Staphylococcus aureus, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Proteus mirabilis as the minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration. Cell viability was measured against osteoblast and fibroblast cells. The biosurfactant was classified as lipopeptide, with critical micelle concentration at 40 µg mL- 1, and made the titanium surface less hydrophobic. The anti-adhesion effect was observed for Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus sanguinis with 54% growth inhibition and presented a minimum inhibitory concentration of 15.7 µg mL- 1 for Streptococcus sanguinis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. The lipopeptide had no cytotoxic effect and demonstrated high potential application against bacterial biofilms.

Exploring the biofilm inhibitory potential of Candida sp. UFSJ7A glycolipid on siliconized latex catheters

Biosurfactants, sustainable alternatives to petrochemical surfactants, are gaining attention for their potential in medical applications. This study focuses on producing, purifying, and characterizing a glycolipid biosurfactant from Candida sp. UFSJ7A, particularly for its application in biofilm prevention on siliconized latex catheter surfaces. The glycolipid was extracted and characterized, revealing a critical micellar concentration (CMC) of 0.98 mg/mL, indicating its efficiency at low concentrations. Its composition, confirmed through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and thin layer chromatography (TLC), identified it as an anionic biosurfactant with a significant ionic charge of -14.8 mV. This anionic nature contributes to its biofilm prevention capabilities. The glycolipid showed a high emulsification index (E24) for toluene, gasoline, and soy oil and maintained stability under various pH and temperature conditions. Notably, its anti-adhesion activity against biofilms formed by Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and Candida albicans was substantial. When siliconized latex catheter surfaces were preconditioned with 2 mg/mL of the glycolipid, biofilm formation was reduced by up to 97% for E. coli and C. albicans and 57% for E. faecalis. These results are particularly significant when compared to the efficacy of conventional surfactants like SDS, especially for E. coli and C. albicans. This study highlights glycolipids' potential as a biotechnological tool in reducing biofilm-associated infections on medical devices, demonstrating their promising applicability in healthcare settings.

Antibacterial and Antiviral Properties of Chenopodin-Derived Synthetic Peptides

Antimicrobial peptides have been developed based on plant-derived molecular scaffolds for the treatment of infectious diseases. Chenopodin is an abundant seed storage protein in quinoa, an Andean plant with high nutritional and therapeutic properties. Here, we used computer- and physicochemical-based strategies and designed four peptides derived from the primary structure of Chenopodin. Two peptides reproduce natural fragments of 14 amino acids from Chenopodin, named Chen1 and Chen2, and two engineered peptides of the same length were designed based on the Chen1 sequence. The two amino acids of Chen1 containing amide side chains were replaced by arginine (ChenR) or tryptophan (ChenW) to generate engineered cationic and hydrophobic peptides. The evaluation of these 14-mer peptides on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli showed that Chen1 does not have antibacterial activity up to 512 µM against these strains, while other peptides exhibited antibacterial effects at lower concentrations. The chemical substitutions of glutamine and asparagine by amino acids with cationic or aromatic side chains significantly favoured their antibacterial effects. These peptides did not show significant hemolytic activity. The fluorescence microscopy analysis highlighted the membranolytic nature of Chenopodin-derived peptides. Using molecular dynamic simulations, we found that a pore is formed when multiple peptides are assembled in the membrane. Whereas, some of them form secondary structures when interacting with the membrane, allowing water translocations during the simulations. Finally, Chen2 and ChenR significantly reduced SARS-CoV-2 infection. These findings demonstrate that Chenopodin is a highly useful template for the design, engineering, and manufacturing of non-toxic, antibacterial, and antiviral peptides.