Search Results (104)

Objective: This study aimed to determine the possibility of creating a new animal model in which diabetic retinopathy (DR) progresses due to hypertension caused by salt loading. Methods: Male Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) fatty rats were divided into two groups: one group received 0.3% saline water starting at 8 weeks of age for a duration of 16 weeks (salt SDT fatty group), while the control group was provided with tap water (SDT fatty group). In addition, Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats receiving tap water served as normal controls. Retinal function was assessed by electroretinography (ERG) at 8 and 24 weeks of age. At 24 weeks, following perfusion with fluorescein dextran, the eyes were enucleated, and retinal flat mounts were prepared for vascular evaluation. Retinal thickness and the number of retinal folds were assessed histologically, and ultrastructural changes in the retina were examined using transmission electron microscopy. Results: Saline administration did not lead to significant changes in food consumption or body weight among the groups. In the salt SDT fatty group, blood pressure was significantly elevated, while blood glucose levels showed a slight reduction. ERG analysis showed that the amplitude of oscillatory potential (OP)1 waves was suppressed, and the latencies of OP3, OP4, and OP5 waves were prolonged. Although no significant changes were noted in retinal thickness or the number of retinal folds, thickening of the retinal capillary basement membrane was evident in the salt SDT fatty group. Conclusions: Hypertension induced by 0.3% saline promotes DR progression in SDT fatty rats. This model may help clarify the role of hypertension in DR. Full article

This study aimed to analyze whether formal managers’ qualifications explain the Brazilian pension funds’ disclosure level. It started from the assumption of information asymmetry between stakeholders. We also recognize that the problems related to asymmetry in companies participating in the capital market, commonly pointed out in the literature, would not behave in the same way in pension funds. Other factors explain the disclosure in these organizations, like the qualification of managers. We calculated the disclosure level for each of the 209 Brazilian pension funds that made up the sample. We analyzed the dates using multiple linear and logistic regression as a robustness test. The results indicated that the formal qualification of managers, characterized by master’s and or doctoral degrees, has a positive relationship with the level of disclosure of pension funds, indicating that the greater the formal qualification of the manager, the greater the level of disclosure. Thus, this study shows insights that the explanations about company disclosure given in the literature, especially its effect on market value, are not necessarily the same in pension funds, which are explained by other factors, such as the qualification of managers. The results can contribute to regulatory bodies to formulate new rules that favor the capability of managers, in addition to identifying the information demanded by stakeholders, allowing for an increase in the level of disclosure and a reduction in information asymmetry, as well as the improvement of governance practices. Full article

We analyse the results of three information retrieval tests on conceptual combinations that we have recently performed using corpora of Italian language. Each test has the form of a ‘Bell-type test’ and was aimed at identifying ‘quantum entanglement’ in the combination, or composition, of two concepts. In the first two tests, we studied the Italian translation of the combination The Animal Acts, while in the third test, we studied the Italian translation of the combination The Animal eats the Food. We found a significant violation of Bell’s inequalities in all tests. Empirical patterns confirm the results obtained with corpora of English language, which indicates the existence of deep structures in concept formation that are language independent. The systematic violation of Bell’s inequalities suggests the presence of entanglement, and indeed, we elaborate here a ‘quantum model in Hilbert space’ for the collected data. This investigation supports our theoretical hypothesis about entanglement as a phenomenon of ‘contextual updating’, independent of the nature, micro-physical or conceptual-linguistic, of the entities involved. Finally, these findings allow us to further clarify the mutual relationships between entanglement, Cirel’son’s bound, and no-signalling in Bell-type situations. Full article

Enzymes, as nature’s precision biocatalysts, hold transformative potential across industrial, environmental, and biomedical sectors. However, their instability, solvent sensitivity, and limited reusability in their free form necessitate advanced immobilization strategies to enhance their robustness and scalability. This review critically examines cutting-edge advancements in enzyme immobilization, focusing on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), novel nanomaterials, and dynamic carrier systems to overcome the traditional limitations of mass transfer, enzyme leakage, and cost inefficiency. Key innovations such as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), magnetic nanoparticles, self-healing hydrogels, and 3D-printed scaffolds are highlighted for their ability to optimize enzyme orientation, stability, and catalytic efficiency under extreme conditions. Moreover, AI-driven predictive modeling and machine learning emerge as pivotal tools for rationalizing nanomaterial synthesis, multi-enzyme cascade design, and toxicity assessment, while microfluidic systems enable precise biocatalyst fabrication. This review also explores emerging carrier-free strategies, including cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) and DNA-directed immobilization, which minimize diffusion barriers and enhance substrate affinity. Despite progress, challenges persist in regards to eco-friendly nanomaterial production, industrial scalability, and real-world application viability. Future directions emphasize sustainable hybrid material design, AI-aided lifecycle assessments, and interdisciplinary synergies between synthetic biology, nanotechnology, and data analytics. By connecting laboratory innovation with industrial needs, this work provides a forward-thinking framework to harness immobilized enzymes for achieving global sustainability goals, particularly in bioremediation, bioenergy, and precision medicine. Full article

The immobilization of a laccase from Pycnoporus sanguineus UEM-20 via the formation of cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) was optimized through a central composite design (CCD) of response surface methodology (RSM). Both free and immobilized enzymes were investigated for their physico-chemical characteristics, and their adequacy in removing bisphenol A (BPA) and decolorizing malachite green dye in solution was evaluated. The immobilization caused only minor differences in thermostability. Upon immobilization, the enzyme experienced some changes in its kinetic properties. The V_max decreased by a factor of 1.1, and the K_M increased by a factor of 1.89. These kinetic changes did not modify in any remarkable way the capacity of the immobilized enzyme in degrading BPA and decolorizing malachite green dye. Its sensitivity to NaCl was also minimally affected by immobilization. However, its sensitivity to sodium sulfate was substantially decreased. After 1 month’s conservation, the activity of the free form had suffered a drastic drop. The immobilized form, by contrast, remained 100% active after 6 months. All these findings predict that the immobilized laccase from P. sanguineus UEM-20 may be useful in the enzymatic bioremediation of pollutants such as endocrine disruptors and synthetic dyes. Full article

Background: The Bullwhip and Ripple effects are systemic phenomena that disrupt supply chain performance. However, research often neglects their connection to resilience. This article presents a hybrid literature review examining how both effects are addressed about supply chain resilience, focusing on methodological and conceptual trends. Methods: The review combines thematic analysis of studies from Web of Science and ScienceDirect (2000–2023) with bibliometric trend modeling using Long Short-Term Memory neural networks to detect nonlinear patterns and disciplinary dynamics. Results: While 64.7% of the reviewed works explicitly link the Bullwhip Effect or Ripple Effect to resilience, only 11.7% of those focused on the Bullwhip Effect offer models with clear practical use. A structural break in 2019 marks a notable rise in research connecting these effects to resilience. Nonlinear modeling dominates (88.23%) through network theory and system dynamics. Social, Engineering and Business Sciences drive Bullwhip-related studies, while Economics, Computer Science, and Social Sciences lead Ripple-related research. Business, Energy, and Social Sciences strongly influence the integration of the Ripple Effect into supply chains. A modeling typology is proposed, and neural network techniques uncover key bibliometric patterns. Conclusions: The review highlights limited practical application and calls for more adaptive, integrative research approaches. Full article

Efficient hydrolysis of cellulose in agricultural waste (e.g., coconut fiber) is critical for biorefining processes such as second-generation bioethanol (2G ethanol) production. However, free cellulases suffer from low thermal stability and challenges in recovery. To address this, we developed cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) combined with magnetic nanoparticles (magnetic CLEAs, m-CLEAs) to enhance enzyme stability and reusability. In this context, solutions of ethanol, acetone, and ammonium sulfate were used to prepare enzymatic aggregates, with subsequent use of glutaraldehyde and magnetic nanoparticles to obtain the biocatalysts. The addition of bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein was also tested to improve immobilization. Biocatalysts with ethanol and acetone performed better. Acetone (AC) and BSA yielded the highest enzymatic activities (287.27 ± 42.59 U/g for carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) with Celluclast; 425.37 ± 48.11 U/g for CMCase with Cellic CTec2). Magnetic nanoparticles were incorporated to expand the industrial applicability, producing m-CLEAs with excellent thermal stability and high catalytic activities. The m-CLEA–Celluclast–AC–BSA–GA 5% maintained 58% of its activity after 72 h at 70 °C. The m-CLEA–Celluclast-AC–BSA–GA 2.5% proved effective in hydrolyzing coconut fiber and isolated cellulose, producing up to 0.91 ± 0.01 g/L of glucose and 2.7 ± 0.15 g/L of glucose, respectively, after 72 h. Therefore, this approach supports sustainability by using coconut fiber, which is often discarded into the environment. Full article

Purpose: Urinary incontinence (UI) significantly impacts the quality of life, necessitating a range of treatments, from behavioral changes to surgical interventions. Electromagnetic muscle stimulation (HIFEM™) therapy presents an innovative, non-invasive approach to strengthening pelvic floor muscles (PFMs). Subjects and Methods: This retrospective, non-interventional case series study explores the efficacy and safety of HIFEM™ treatment in parous women experiencing stress (SUI) and mixed urinary incontinence (MUI). Nineteen women (mean age 54 ± 16) underwent six HIFEM™ sessions, with symptom progression tracked using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF), along with comfort and satisfaction questionnaires. Results: At baseline, the mean ICIQ-UI SF score was 7.9 ± 4.2 points. By the final questionnaire administration, the average score had dropped to 4.7 ± 3.5, reflecting a 50.6% reduction from baseline (p < 0.001). According to ICIQ-UI SF Item 6, 21% of subjects achieved complete continence. Additionally, the percentage of subjects experiencing urine leakage before reaching the toilet declined by 40% after the sixth treatment. Post treatment, the number of subjects who leaked urine while coughing or sneezing decreased by 50%. Conclusions: The treatment has shown high efficacy in lowering the ICIQ-SF scores across the study group, with a significant number of subjects regaining entire continence. Full article

This study aimed to analyze the level of disclosure of information representing sustainability practices from the stakeholders’ perspective and its relationship with the funding cost of cooperative financial organizations. The level of disclosure was measured using 46 information indicators representing sustainability practices from the stakeholders’ perspective, identified in the annual reports of cooperative financial organizations (CFOs) listed in the World Cooperative Monitor 2023, totaling 155 observations. The relationship between disclosure and the cost of financing was analyzed using a random effects estimator with cluster-robust standard errors. The results demonstrate a negative relationship between the disclosure of sustainability practices and the funding cost. When disaggregated by sustainability pillar, the results show that disclosure in the social, environmental, and cultural pillars is negatively associated with funding cost, while the economic pillar shows no statistically significant effect. This suggests that disclosing sustainability-related information from the stakeholders’ perspective reduces the cost of funding and enhances the legitimacy of CFO managers, setting them apart from traditional banks. This study examines the relationship between sustainability disclosure and funding cost in CFOs by adapting validated indicators and applying a robust econometric approach. Unlike existing literature focused on traditional banks, it empirically investigates how sustainability disclosure affects information asymmetry, funding costs, and managerial legitimacy within the cooperative financial sector. Full article

Quantifying GHG emissions from cashew cultivation, especially in Brazil, is essential to assess the environmental impact and promote the sustainable development of this activity. The objective of this study is to evaluate and compare methods for quantifying GHG emissions based on empirical equations for life cycle inventories, using the conventional cashew production system in Brazil as a case study. The scope of the study encompasses, from gate to gate in a dwarf cashew production system, considering the production of one ton of cashew as a functional unit. GHG emissions were assessed and compared using the following methodologies: Nemecek-Calc, WFLDB, IPCC-Calc, BR-Calc, and Agri-footprint. The environmental assessment followed ISO standards (14040, 14044, and 14067). The results showed that the carbon footprint varied among the evaluated methodologies, with a difference of 24.5% between the highest value (129.5 kg CO₂ eq-IPCC-Calc and BR-Calc) and the lowest (104 kg CO₂ eq-Nemecek-Calc) per ton of cashew. N₂O was the main contributor to emissions, accounting for up to 75.9%, while CO₂ represented up to 25.8%. Based on the analysis criteria, WFLDB, IPCC-Calc, and BR-Calc are the most recommended methodologies, balancing clarity, scientific robustness, and regional adaptation. The choice of methodology is fundamental, as it directly influences the results and interpretation of the carbon footprint in cashew farming, impacting the sustainability of this agricultural activity. Full article

Pension funds’ growth highlights the need to emphasize fiduciary duty and investment sustainability, considering the current and future participants’ interests (priority stakeholders) and systemic risk reduction (environmental, social, economic, and governance effects). Therefore, this study builds sustainability indicators based on the interests of pension fund stakeholders. The methodology comprised five stages: the first consisted of analyzing Annual Information Reports to create a preliminary list of indicators; the second involved examining specific legislation on pension fund disclosure and identifying mandatory information; the third involved submitting the updated list to experts; and the fourth involved submitting it to priority stakeholders for evaluation and validation. After its updates, the indicators list was evaluated using Principal Component Analysis. All these stages allowed for the triangulation of information and the creation of a final list containing 48 sustainability indicators for pension funds, with information requested by priority stakeholders. This allows regulators to adjust disclosure rules, including those required by stakeholders and good governance practices. It also allows pension funds to identify the indicators required by stakeholders, reducing information asymmetry. The adoption of the list of indicators would promote trust, legitimacy, and sustainability for pension funds. Full article

Laccase from Trametes versicolor was immobilized via the formation of interlinking enzyme aggregates (CLEA). Its free and immobilized enzymes were characterized, and its efficiency was tested via the removal of bisphenol A (BPA) in aqueous solution. The resistances against thermal denaturation and pH variations were improved upon immobilization. Although the optimal pH of the enzyme was not modified by immobilization, the latter considerably increased its stability in the pH range of 2.0 to 8.0. The immobilized form was still 50% active after 6 months of storage, while the free form took 1 month to suffer a similar drop in activity. Both free and immobilized T. versicolor laccases were efficient in removing 200 µM BPA from aqueous solutions. The free laccase removed 79% and 92.9% of the compound during the first hour of reaction when 0.1 and 0.2 U were used, respectively. The immobilized form, on the other hand, removed 72% and 94.1% of 200 µM BPA during the first hour of reaction when 0.2 and 0.5 U were used, respectively. The immobilized enzyme allowed seven reuse cycles in the oxidation of ABTS and up to four cycles in the degradation of BPA. The results suggest that the laccase from T. versicolor may be useful in biological strategies aiming at degrading endocrine disruptors, such as BPA. Full article

The formation of cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) using macromolecular cross-linkers improves substrate accessibility and enhances enzyme retention. However, there have been few studies exploring the use of macromolecular cross-linkers due to the challenges related to cross-linker screening. In compliance with our previous computational and experimental screening, dextran is the optimal macromolecular cross-linker to develop CLEAs of endolevanase from Bacillus lehensis G1 (rlevblg1-dex-CLEA) for levan-type-fructooligosaccharides (L-FOS) production. In this study, rlevblg1-dex-CLEAs was optimized, and the activity recovery continued to increase and reached 90.5%. Subsequently, the rlevblg1-dex-CLEAs were characterized and they displayed higher thermal stability after 1 h of incubation in comparison to the free enzyme. Moreover, the rlevblg1-dex-CLEAs were reusable for five cycles and exhibited greater storage stability over 180 days at 4 °C (60.9%) than that of free rlevblg1. In addition, the rlevblg1-dex-CLEAs demonstrated similar catalytic efficiency as the free enzyme and generated a substantial amount of L-FOS with a longer degree of polymerization, which is more beneficial for industrial use. Full article

Background: Recently, the investigation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers for diagnosing human prion diseases (HPD) has garnered significant attention. Reproducibility and accuracy are paramount in biomarker research, particularly in the measurement of total tau (T-tau) protein, which is a crucial diagnostic marker. Given the global impact of the coronavirus disease pandemic, the frequency of measuring this protein using one of the world’s fully automated assays, chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (CLEA), has increased. At present, the diagnosis and monitoring of neurological diseases mainly rely on traditional methods, but their accuracy and responsiveness are limited. There is limited knowledge of the accuracy of CLEA in tau measurements. We aimed to measure T-tau protein using CLEA and to elucidate its merits and limitations. Methods: We randomly selected 60 patients with rapidly progressive dementia, using ELISA and CLEA analysis of cerebrospinal fluid specimens. Additionally, we used Western blotting to detect the presence of 14-3-3 protein and employed real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assays to analyze the same set of samples. Furthermore, we examined the correlation coefficient between ELISA and CLEA results in a subset of 60 samples. Moreover, using CLEA, we evaluated the diurnal reproducibility, storage stability, dilutability, and freeze–thaw effects in three selected samples. Results: In 172 patients, 172 samples were extracted, with each patient providing only one sample, and a total of 88 (35 men and 53 women) tested positive for HPD in the RT-QuIC assay. In contrast, all CSF samples from the remaining 84 patients without HPD (50 men and 34 women) tested negative in the RT-QuIC assay. Both ELISA and CLEA showed perfect sensitivity and specificity (100%) in measuring T-tau protein levels. In addition, ELISA and CLEA are similar in terms of measurement sensitivity and marginal effect of detection extrema. CLEA analysis exhibited instability for certain samples with T-tau protein levels exceeding 2000 pg/mL, leading to low reproducibility during dilution analysis. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that CLEA outperforms ELISA in terms of diurnal reproducibility, storage stability, and freeze–thaw effects. However, ELISA demonstrated superior performance in the dilution assay. Therefore, it is imperative to develop innovative approaches for the dilution of biomarker samples for CLEA measurements during clinical trials. Full article

Background: The positivity of anti-RNP autoantibodies as biological criteria for the diagnosis of mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) has recently divided the rheumatology community. Autoantigenicity of the U1-snRNP complex tends to generate multiple autoantibodies against RNP-A, -C and -70 KDa or Sm proteins. The aim of this study is to identify the most informative autoantibodies in clinical practice, in particular, to contribute to differential diagnosis between MCTD and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods: Sera from 74 patients positive for anti-RNP autoantibodies were selected over a period of one year of laboratory practice. Autoantibodies directed against extractable nuclear antigen, RNP proteins (A, C, 70 KDa) and 40 kDa fragments of RNP-70 KDa were investigated by using quantitative fluoroenzymatic assay and Western blot analysis. Results: Among the 74 patients, 40 patients were diagnosed with SLE, 20 with MCTD, six with another autoimmune disease, three with SARS-CoV-2 infection, three with cancer and two were healthy. No preferential clinical association of IgG or IgM autoantibodies directed against each of the RNP proteins was found between SLE and MCTD. In contrast, the proportion of autoantibodies directed against the RNP component within the U1-snRNP complex showed a significantly higher RNP index in patients with MCTD than in those with SLE (p = 0.011), with good performance (sensitivity: 69.2%, specificity: 88.9%). Conclusions: The analysis of the proportion of the different autoantibodies directed against the U1-snRNP complex is more informative than the analysis of each autoantibody separately. A follow-up of patients could be informative about the interest of the RNP index as a predictor of disease evolution. Full article