Universidade Estadual de Londrina

About: Universidade Estadual de Londrina is a education organization based out in Londrina, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Toxoplasma gondii. The organization has 13052 authors who have published 19291 publications receiving 212123 citations.

Ion-imprinted polyvinylimidazole-silica hybrid copolymer for selective extraction of Pb(II): Characterization and metal adsorption kinetic and thermodynamic studies

Abstract: The current paper presents a synthesis of a novel ion-imprinted hybrid copolymer (IIHC) [poly(1-vinylimidazole)-co-(3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate) and its application to selective adsorption of Pb2+ ions. The hybrid copolymer was prepared by coupling free radical addition and sol–gel processing, using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) as cross-linker. Thermogravimetry (TG), FT-IR, X-ray diffraction, specific surface area (BET) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the copolymers. The equilibrium data obtained were fitted very well to the non-linear Langmuir–Freundlich isotherm model, as compared to other models, and the maximum adsorption uptake was found to be 7.6 mg g−1. The thermodynamic parameters, including Gibbs free energy (ΔG°), enthalpy (ΔH°), and entropy (ΔS°) of the adsorption process, were found to be −16.23 kJ mol−1, −10.37 kmol−1 and −19.42 J K−1 mol−1, respectively. These results demonstrate that the adsorption of Pb2+ onto the hybrid copolymer takes place by a spontaneous and exothermic process with further decrease in the degree of freedom without disordering at the solid-solution interface due to the negative ΔS° value. Furthermore, the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models were used to describe the kinetic data. The experimental data were fitted well to the pseudo-first-order kinetics. Under competitive adsorption conditions, the ion-imprinted hybrid copolymer was 8.8, 64.9 and 16 times more selective when compared to the blank copolymer (NIC – non-imprinted copolymer) for Pb2+/Cu2+, Pb2+/Cd2+, and Pb2+/Zn2+ systems.

Immune-Inflammatory and Oxidative and Nitrosative Stress Biomarkers of Depression Symptoms in Subjects with Multiple Sclerosis: Increased Peripheral Inflammation but Less Acute Neuroinflammation.

Abstract: There is evidence that activated immune-inflammatory and oxidative and nitrosative stress (ION peroxides (LOOH); nitric oxide metabolites (NOx); albumin; ferritin; C-reactive protein (CRP); and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-β NcoI polymorphism (rs909253) and gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan in MS patients with (n = 42) and without (n = 108) depression and normal controls (n = 249). Depression is scored using the depressive subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The extent of neurological disability is measured using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) at the same time of the abovementioned measurements and 5 years earlier. Disease progression is assessed as actual EDSS—EDSS 5 years earlier. Three variables discriminate MS patients with depression from those without depression, i.e., increased IL-6 and lower IL-4 and albumin. Binary logistic regression showed that MS with depression (versus no depression) was characterized by more gastrointestinal symptoms and disease progression, higher serum IL-6, and lower albumin levels. In subjects with MS, the HADS score was significantly predicted by three EDSS symptoms, i.e., pyramidal, gastrointestinal, and visual symptoms. Fifty-eight percent of the variance in the HADS score was predicted by gastrointestinal symptoms, visual symptoms, the TNFB1/B2 genotype, and contrast enhancement (both inversely associated). There were no significant associations between depression in MS and type of MS, duration of illness, age, sex, nicotine dependence, and body mass index. MS with depression is associated with signs of peripheral inflammation, more disability, disease progression, gastrointestinal and visual symptoms, but less contrast enhancement as compared to MS without depression. It is concluded that depression is part of the neurological symptoms of MS and that its expression is primed by peripheral inflammation while acute neuroinflammation and the TNFB1/B2 genotype may be protective.

Seroepidemiology and occupational and environmental variables for leptospirosis, brucellosis and toxoplasmosis in slaughterhouse workers in the Paraná State, Brazil

Abstract: Leptospirosis, brucellosis and toxoplasmosis are widely-distributed zoonosis, being the man an accidental participant of their epidemiological chains. The aim of this paper was to make a seroepidemiological report and identify occupational and environmental variables related to these illnesses in 150 workers in a slaughterhouse in the Northern region of Parana. For the diagnosis of leptospirosis a microscopical seroagglutination test was applied; for brucellosis, the tamponated acidified antigen test and the 2-mercaptoetanol tests were used, and for toxoplasmosis the indirect immunofluorescence reaction test. For each employee an epidemiological survey was filled, which investigated occupational and environmental variables which could be associated with these infections. Positive results for leptospirosis were found in 4.00% of the samples, for brucellosis in 0.66% of samples and toxoplasmosis in 70.00%. From the three diseases researched, only the results for leptospirosis suggest occupational infection.