Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is associated with chronic complications that lead to high morbidity and mortality rates in young adults of productive age. Intensive insulin therapy has been able to reduce the likelihood of the development of chronic diabetes complications. However, this treatment is still associated with an increased incidence of hypoglycemia. In patients with “brittle T1DM”, who have severe hypoglycemia without adrenergic symptoms (hypoglycemia unawareness), islet transplantation may be a therapeutic option to restore both insulin secretion and hypoglycemic perception. The Edmonton group demonstrated that most patients who received islet infusions from more than one donor and were treated with steroid-free immunosuppressive drugs displayed a considerable decline in the initial insulin independence rates at eight years following the transplantation, but showed permanent C-peptide secretion, which facilitated glycemic control and protected patients against hypoglycemic episodes. Recently, data published by the Collaborative Islet Transplant Registry (CITR) has revealed that approximately 50% of the patients who undergo islet transplantation are insulin independent after a 3-year follow-up. Therefore, islet transplantation is able to successfully decrease plasma glucose and HbA1c levels, the occurrence of severe hypoglycemia, and improve patient quality of life. The goal of this paper was to review the human islet isolation and transplantation processes, and to describe the establishment of a human islet isolation laboratory at the Endocrine Division of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre – Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Conduziu-se este trabalho, com o objetivo de utilizar parâmetros cinéticos para avaliar a degradação de vitamina C sobre a vida útil de mangas (Mangifera indica L.) minimamente processadas e armazenadas em diferentes temperaturas. Mangas 'Palmer' foram lavadas em água corrente, sanificadas, descascadas, novamente sanificadas e fatiadas manualmente. O produto foi embalado em embalagem de polietileno com tampa e armazenado a 0ºC, 6ºC e 12ºC (85-90% UR). Para o acompanhamento da sua vida útil, a cada 2 dias foram feitas as seguintes análises: valores L* a* e b*, perda de massa, pH, firmeza, sólidos solúveis (SS), acidez titulável (AT) e teor de vitamina C. As mangas minimamente processadas armazenadas à 0ºC e 6ºC apresentaram vida útil de 10 dias contra 4 dias das mangas armazenadas à 12ºC. Os dados obtidos por meio de regressão linear com os valores do logaritmo neperiano do teor de ácido ascórbico pelo tempo de armazenagem (dias) mostram que a reação de degradação da vitamina C se ajusta ao modelo cinético de 1ª ordem. O Modelo de Arrhenius foi aplicado às velocidades de reação (k) nas diferentes temperaturas estabelecendo energia de ativação (Ea) de 34,32 kcal mol-1. A degradação de vitamina C foi mais lenta (t1/2 = 63,6dias; e k = 0,0109 dias-1) à 0ºC o que proporcionou maior retenção de seus teores (89%) durante 10 dias de armazenamento. As frutas armazenadas à 12ºC apresentaram maior velocidade de degradação (k = 0,1729 dias-1) e, consequentemente, t1/2 inferior às demais temperaturas (apenas 4 dias).

This work was used to evaluate the kinetic parameters for degradation of vitamin C on the shelf-life of minimally processed mangoes (Mangifera indica L.) stored at different temperatures. 'Palmer' Mangos were washed in running water, sanitized, peeled, manually sliced and again sanitized. The product was packaged in polyethylene packaging with lid and stored at 0ºC, 6°C and 12 °C (85-90% RH). To monitor its shelf-life, the following tests were done every two days: values L* a* b*, weight loss, pH, firmness, soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA) and content of vitamin C. The minimally processed mangoes stored at 0ºC and 6ºC showed shelf-life of 10 days, whereas the shelf-life of mangoes stored at 12°C was 4 days. The data obtained by linear regression with the values of the Neperian logarithm content of ascorbic acid by the time of storage (days) show that the reaction of degradation of vitamin C fits the kinetic model of 1st order. The Arrhenius model was applied to the speed of reaction (k) at different temperatures by setting the activation energy (Ea) of 34,32 kcal.mol-1. The degradation of vitamin C was slower (t1 / 2 = 63.6 days, and k = 0.0109 days-1) at 0°C, which provided greater retention of its contents (89%) during 10 days of storage. Fruits stored at 12°C showed a higher rate of degradation (k = 0.1729 days-1) and, consequently, t1 / 2 less than the other temperatures (only 4 days).

Wastewater and soil treatment processes based on Fenton's reagent have gained great attention in recent years due to its high oxidation power. This review describes the fundaments of the Fenton and photo-Fenton processes and discusses the main aspects related to the degradation of organic contaminants in water such as the complexation of iron, the use of solar light as the source of irradiation and the most important reactor types used. An overview of the main applications of the process to a variety of industrial wastewater and soil remediations is presented.

OBJETIVO: Descrever o curso clínico e a evolução ultra-sonográfica de pacientes com rim displásico multicístico tratados conservadoramente. MÉTODOS: Foram incluídas no estudo 53 crianças com rim displásico multicístico unilateral diagnosticado pela ultra-sonografia fetal entre 1989 e 2004. Todos os pacientes foram submetidos a protocolo sistemático, incluindo tratamento conservador e exames clínicos, laboratoriais e ultra-sonográficos periódicos. Os exames foram realizados com periodicidade de 6 meses, nos 2 primeiros anos, e anualmente, após esse período. No curso clínico, foram avaliados: pressão arterial, infecção do trato urinário, função renal e crescimento dos pacientes. Na evolução ecográfica, foram avaliados a involução do rim displásico multicístico e o crescimento do rim contralateral. RESULTADOS: O tempo médio de seguimento foi de 68 meses. Dois pacientes apresentaram hipertensão arterial no seguimento. Cinco tiveram infecção urinária (apenas um com episódios repetidos). Não houve degeneração maligna do rim displásico multicístico. Foram realizados 334 exames ultra-sonográficos seriados. Houve involução do rim displásico multicístico em 90% dos casos, sendo que nove (17%) desapareceram. O ritmo de involução foi maior nos 30 primeiros meses de vida. Houve progressiva hipertrofia compensatória do rim contralateral, sendo o ritmo mais intenso nos 2 primeiros anos de vida. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados do acompanhamento prospectivo de crianças portadoras de rim displásico multicístico tratadas conservadoramente sugerem que a conduta clínica é segura, a incidência de complicações é mínima e há uma nítida tendência de involução ultra-sonográfica da unidade renal afetada. Os dados sugerem, ainda, que o ritmo de involução do rim displásico multicístico, assim como da hipertrofia compensatória do rim contralateral, sejam maiores nos 2 primeiros anos de vida.

OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to describe the clinical course and ultrasound outcome of prenatally detected multicystic dysplastic kidney. METHODS: Fifty-three children with unilateral multicystic dysplastic kidney detected by prenatal ultrasound between 1989 and 2004 were included in the analysis. All children were submitted to conservative management with follow-up visits every six months. Follow-up ultrasound examinations were performed at six-month intervals during the first two years of life and yearly thereafter. The following clinical parameters were evaluated: blood pressure, urinary tract infection, renal function, and growth. The following ultrasound parameters were evaluated: involution of multicystic dysplastic kidney and contralateral renal growth. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 68 months. Two children presented hypertension during follow-up and five had urinary tract infection (only one with recurrent episodes). There was no malignant degeneration of multicystic dysplastic kidney. A total of 334 ultrasound scans were analyzed. US scan demonstrated involution of the multicystic dysplastic kidney in 48 (90%) cases, including complete involution in nine (17%). The involution rate was faster in the first 30 months of life. There was progressive compensatory renal hypertrophy of the contralateral renal unit; the rate of growth was greater in the first 24 months of life. CONCLUSION: The results of prolonged follow-up of children with conservatively managed multicystic dysplastic kidney suggest that clinical approach is safe, the incidence of complications is small, and that there is a clear tendency for multicystic dysplastic kidney to decrease in size. Our data also suggest that the involution rate of multicystic dysplastic kidney as well as the growth of the contralateral kidney is greater in the first 24 months of life.

A flow injection spectrophotometric system was projected for monitoring hydrogen peroxide during photodegradation of organic contaminants in photo-Fenton processes (Fe2+/H2O2/UV). Sample is injected manually in a carrier stream and then receives by confluence a 0.1 mol L-1 NH4VO3 solution in 0.5 mol L-1 H2SO4 medium. The product formed shows absorption at 446 nm which is recorded as a peak with height proportional to H2O2 concentration. The performance of the proposed system was evaluated by monitoring the consumption of H2O2 during the photodegradation of dichloroacetic acid solution by foto-Fenton reaction.