ABSTRACT Background: The Cardiac and Comorbid Conditions - Heart Failure (3C-HF) and the Meta-Analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure (MAGGIC) are two score models developed to predict mortality in patients with heart failure (HF). The performance of these scores has been little studied in our setting. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the performance of the 3C-HF and the MAGGIC scores to predict one-year mortality in a population of patients with H F. Methods: Ambulatory HF patients discharged after hospitalization due to acute HF in two centers were included in the study. The 3C-HF and MAGGIC scores were calculated and one-year mortality was the study endpoint. The discrimination ability of the scores was analyzed from the calculated area under the ROC curve and their calibration quality was assessed applying the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. Both areas under the ROC curve were compared using the Hanley-Mc Neil test. Results: A total of 704 patients with mean age of 73±11 years and 39.6% women were included in the study. One-year mortal-ity was 12.4% (n=87). Both scores were independent predictors of mortality, with HR of 1.03 (95% CI 1.008-1.06; p=0.02) and 1.08 (95% CI 1.02-1.13; p=0.004) for the 3C-HF and MAGGIC scores, respectively. The area under the ROC curve for the 3C-HF score was 0.70 (95% CI 0.64-0.75) and for the MAGGIC score 0.67 (95% CI 0.61-0.73), without significant differences between them (p=0.41). Both scores presented adequate calibration (p=0.06 and p=0.32, respectively). Conclusion: The 3C-HF and MAGGIC scores were predictors of one-year mortality, with a moderate ability to discriminate events and adequate calibration. The discrimination ability between both scores was not significant.

RESUMEN Introducción: El Cardiac and Comorbid Conditions - Heart Failure (3C-HF) y el Meta-Analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure (MAGGIC) son dos sistemas de puntaje desarrollados para predecir la mortalidad en pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca (IC). El desempeño de estos puntajes ha sido poco estudiado en nuestro medio. Objetivo: Evaluar el desempeño del 3C-HF y del MAGGIC para predecir la mortalidad al año en una población de pacientes con IC. Material y métodos: Se incluyeron pacientes con diagnóstico de IC ambulatorios y dados de alta luego de una internación por IC aguda atendidos en dos centros. Se calcularon los puntajes 3C-HF y MAGGIC. Se evaluó como punto final la mortalidad global al año. La capacidad de discriminación de estos puntajes se analizó a partir del cálculo del área bajo la curva (ABC) ROC, y la calidad de su calibración, aplicando el test de Hosmer-Lemeshow. Se compararon ambas ABC mediante el test de Hanley-Mc Neil. Resultados: Se incluyeron 704 pacientes con una edad promedio de 73 ± 11 años, el 39,6% eran mujeres. La mortalidad al año fue del 12,4% (n = 87). Ambos puntajes fueron predictores independientes de mortalidad, con HR de 1,03 (IC95% 1,008-1,06; p = 0,02) y 1,08 (IC95% 1,02-1,13; p = 0,004) para el puntaje 3C-HF y el MAGGIC, respectivamente. El 3C-HF presentó un ABC de 0,70 (IC95% 0,64-0,75) y el MAGGIC de 0,67 (IC95% 0,61-0,73), sin diferencias entre las ABC (p = 0,41). Ambos presentaron adecuada calibración (p = 0,06 y p = 0,32, respectivamente). Conclusión: Los puntajes 3C-HF y MAGGIC fueron predictores de mortalidad a un año, con una moderada capacidad de discriminar eventos y una adecuada calibración. No hubo diferencias en la capacidad de discriminación entre ambos puntajes.

The chemical structure of dioxane lignins isolated from two groups of Eucalyptus globulus genotypes with contrasting pulpwood characteristics were evaluated. Six genotypes were selected and separated in two groups (G1 and G2) based on differences in wood density, pulp yield and chemical characteristics. Lignin was isolated from both milled wood and kraft pulps produced at kappa number 16, and were characterized by different techniques such as FTIR, elemental analysis, molar mass distribution and 31P NMR spectroscopy. From the different characteristics evaluated, some were determined as more relevant, such as syringyl (S) and guaiacyl (G) amounts, S/G ratio and condensed biphenyl units, were correlated with the pulp yield. High correlations were found between pulp yield and syringyl units (R² = 0,69), and pulp yield and syringyl/guaicyl ratio (R² = 0,88). The condensed 5-5 biphenyl units presented a negative correlation with pulp yield (R² = 0,76). The information obtained explained part of the difference in pulpability of the contrasting genotypes and can be used for the selection and improvement of the species for the pulp and paper industry.

As galactoglucomananas são as principais frações de hemiceluloses presentes nas madeiras moles e contêm, principalmente, as hexoses galactose, glicose e manose. O isolamento eficiente e seletivo dessas hemiceluloses é um obstáculo crítico a superar para sua utilização. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram extrair e caracterizar soluções aquosas ácidas e neutras de hemiceluloses de cavacos de madeira de Pinus radiata, bem como avaliar sua viabilidade para a produção de bioetanol. As hemiceluloses em P. radiata representam 26 g/100 g de madeira (base seca), e as hexoses são responsáveis por aproximadamente 64% dessa quantidade. De acordo com as diferentes condições de extração, cerca de 50% da fração hemicelulósica foi solubilizada e recuperada depois de uma precipitação com etanol. As frações recuperadas de hemiceluloses estavam na forma de oligômeros com peso molecular médio (Mw) variando entre 4x10³ e 4x10(5) g/mol. Os oligômeros hemicelulósicos foram hidrolisados com ácido sulfúrico diluído e os hidrolisados concentrados até aproximadamente 70 g/L hexosas e fermentados pela levedura Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Os resultados de fermentação indicaram que os açúcares obtidos dos extratos ácidos e neutros foram fermentados com rendimentos máximos de etanol de 63% e 54% (22 g/L e 19 g/L), respectivamente. A conversão de hemiceluloses da madeira em etanol é viável, porém seu baixo rendimento faz que o processo não seja economicamente atrativo, razão por que melhorias no processo ou usos alternativos das hemiceluloses devem ser avaliados.

Galactoglucomannans are the major hemicellulosic fraction present in softwoods, and is mainly composed by the hexoses: galactose, glucose and mannose. The efficient and selective isolation of these hemicelluloses is regarded as one of the most critical obstacles to overcome for their utilization. The objective of the current work was to extract and characterize acidic and neutral aqueous solutions of hemicelluloses from Pinus radiata wood chips and investigate their feasibility for bioethanol production. Hemicelluloses in P. radiata represented 26 g/100 g wood (o.d.w.) and hexoses are responsible for approximately 64% of this amount. According to the different extraction conditions, approximately 50% of the hemicellulosic fraction was solubilized and recovered after precipitation with ethanol. The recovered hemicellulosic fractions were in the form of oligomers with weight-average molecular weigth (Mw) varying from 4x10³ to 4x10(5) g/mol. Hemicellulosic oligomers were hydrolyzed with dilute sulfuric acid and the hydrolysates concentrated until approximately 70 g/L of hexoses and fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast. Fermentation results showed that sugar obtained from acid and neutral extractions were fermented to ethanol with maximum yields of 63% and 54% (22 g/ L and 19 g/L), respectively. The conversion of wood hemicellulosic substrates to ethanol is feasible but the low ethanol yields obtained make the process not economically attractive and optimization of the process or alternatives uses for hemicelluloses should be evaluated.

Madeira de tração e oposta de árvores de Eucalyptus globulus foram analisadas quanto a suas características químicas e produção de polpa Kraft. A caracterização química da madeira de tração (TW) de Eucalyptus globulus Labill. mostrou um conteúdo similar de celulose, alto conteúdo de xilanas e baixo conteúdo de lignina quando comparada com a madeira oposta (OW) de uma mesma árvore. O conteúdo de lignina foi 16% menor e contém 32% mais unidades siringila em TW que em OW. O aumento das unidades siringila favoreceu a formação de ligações β-O-4 que também foram mais altas em TW que em OW (84% vs. 64%, respectivamente). O efeito destas características foi avaliado na produção de polpas Kraft de ambos tipos de madeira. A um número kappa de 16, as polpas Kraft obtidas de TW demandaram menos álcali ativo na deslignificação e apresentaram rendimento de polpa levemente maior ou similar que as polpas obtidas com OW. O comprimento das fibras, o coarseness e a viscosidade também foram maiores em polpas de madeira de tração que oposta. Quando as polpas foram refinadas a 30°SR, as polpas TW necessitaram 18% mais revoluções no refinador PFI para atingir o mesmo grau de refino que as polpas OW. As propriedades de resistência mecânica (índices de tração, rasgo e estouro) foram levemente maiores ou similares em polpas de madeira de tração quando comparadas com polpas de madeira oposta. Depois de uma sequência de branqueamento OD0(EO)D1, ambas polpas alcançaram até 89% de alvura ISO. As polpas branqueadas de TW apresentaram viscosidade mais alta e menor conteúdo de ácidos hexenurônicos que as polpas de OW. Os resultados mostraram que TW apresenta alto teor de xilanas e menor teor de lignina que ocasionam uma diminuição no consumo de álcali, aumento das propriedades de resistência mecânica e comportamento similar no branqueamento em comparação com polpas de OW.

Tension (TW) and opposite wood (OW) of Eucalyptus globulus trees were analyzed for its chemical characteristics and Kraft pulp production. Lignin content was 16% lower and contained 32% more syringyl units in TW than in OW. The increase in syringyl units favoured the formation of β-O-4 bonds that was also higher in TW than in OW (84% vs. 64%, respectively). The effect of these wood features was evaluated in the production of Kraft pulps from both types of wood. At kappa number 16, Kraft pulps obtained from TW demanded less active alkali in delignification and presented slightly higher or similar pulp yield than pulps made with OW. Fiber length, coarseness and intrinsic viscosity were also higher in tension than in opposite pulps. When pulps where refined to 30°SR, TW pulps needed 18% more revolutions in the PFI mill to achieve the same beating degree than OW pulps. Strength properties (tensile, tear and burst indexes) were slightly higher or similar in tension as compared with opposite wood pulps. After an OD0(EO)D1 bleaching sequence, both pulps achieved up to 89% ISO brightness. Bleached pulps from TW presented higher viscosity and low amount of hexenuronic acids than pulps from OW. Results showed that TW presented high xylans and low lignin content that caused a decrease in alkali consumption, increase pulp strength properties and similar bleaching performance as compared with pulps from OW.