Three new iron(III) complexes with the ligand N,N'-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)-N,N'-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)ethylenediamine, H2bbpen, containing electron-donating and -withdrawing groups (Me, Br, NO2) in the 5-position of the phenol rings were synthesized and fully characterized by IR spectroscopy, ESI mass spectrometry, and CHN elemental analyses. X-ray structures of the iron(III) complexes containing NO2 and Me groups were determined. The effects of the substituents on the electronic properties of the complexes were detected by UV-visible spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and X-ray crystallography. Linear correlations between the Hammett parameter for the substituents (sigma(p)) and the Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox potentials or ligand-metal charge-transfer (LMCT) processes of the complexes were obtained. A theoretical study using DFT is presented and shows good agreement between the experimental and calculated data.

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Seasonal variation in gross primary production (GPP) of Utricularia foliosa Linnaeus, Egeria densa Planchon and Cabomba furcata Schult & Schult.f. in rivers of the coastal plain of the state of Sa˜o Paulo, Brazil was examined in relation to water physico-chemistry. These three species do not affect the multiple uses of the streams and are present throughout the year. The most productive was U. foliosa (maximum production 24.7 mgO 2 g )1 DW h )1 ), while C. furcata had an intermediate GPP (maximum production 17.5 mgO 2 g )1 DW h )1 ) and E. densa was lowest at 5.6 mgO 2 g )1 DW h )1 . Despite the low amplitude of seasonal variation in this south tropical area, the three species showed seasonal variation in the primary production: GPP was positively correlated with photosynthetic active radiation for U. foliosa and E. densa, and there was a negative correlation for C. furcata. For U. foliosa, GPP was positively correlated with temperature and dissolved inorganic carbon and the GPP of C. furcata was positively correlated with dissolved inorganic carbon.

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Care-related infections (CRIs) have a negative impact on the morbidity and mortality of patients in intensive care. Among them, fungal infections (e.g. Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp.) have high mortality in critically ill patients, particularly those with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and immunosuppression. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) causes severe respiratory changes and deregulation of the immune system. Here, we describe a case of fungal infection in an intensive care unit (ICU) patient with COVID-19 caused by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a yeast widely used in the baking and wine production industries. It is also used as a probiotic, both for prevention and as adjunctive therapy in patients with diarrhoea. The patient was admitted to the ICU with a diagnosis of COVID-19, respiratory failure, complications of ARDS and renal failure, and was being treated with antibiotics and vasoactive amines. Later, the patient had diarrhoea and, after supplementation with Saccharomyces, he developed a bloodstream infection with Saccharomyces. The patient died after 61 days of hospitalization due to thrombocytopenia and bleeding. This case report suggests avoiding the use of probiotics in intensive care patients under the administration of antibiotics and amines, and with damage to the intestinal mucosa and immunodeficiency caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), since these factors could favour the translocation of fungi.

To increase the durability of bamboo it is important to find an easy method to fill the micro and meso structure of the biological matrix using a nanostructural material with an anti-fungical activity. A colloidal solution of silver nanoparticle (Ag-NPs) is a dispersion of metal nanoparticle in water with a diameter between 5-100 nm. Even if the biological mechanism is not completly understood yet, Ag-NPs show a satisfactory bactericidal and antifungical activity. We present a simple and rapid production of Ag-NPs made by a sol-gel synthesis in flow mode by means of microreactor tecnology through a chemical reduction of AgNO3 with NaBH4 in presence of two different organic ligands: sodium/potassium tartrate and trisodium citrate. The synthesis of Ag-NPs in continuous flow compared to the batch technique allowed to reduce the time of synthesis, facilitating the reproducibility of the process and consequently obtaining NPs with more uniform physical and chemical characteristics. The microorganisms of the genus Aspergillus were used for the microbiological tests. The effect of different Ag-NPs on microbial growth was observed daily. In particular, it was shown that the response of the fungus is inversely proportional to the size of the nanoparticles, cell growth is disrupt depending on the proportion between silver and organic ligand and microbialstatic effect, especially in relation to sporulation stage was also observed.

The bis(4-thienylterpyridine)iron(II) complex was employed, in comparison with the 4-phenylterpyridine analogue, as a molecular probe for monitoring the surface plasmon interactions with gold nanoparticles. The two complexes exhibited distinct SERS responses, confirming the binding of the thienyl group to the gold nanoparticles. Their inclusion into β-cyclodextrin anchored on TiO2 surfaces provided a useful system for applications in UV dosimetry, based on the gradual bleaching of the violet-blue color under sunlight and air.

Na perspectiva dos estudos de linguagem, analisamos enuncia ções produzidas em um evento temático de divulgação científica, intitula do "Contadores de Histórias do Museu da Vida". Este evento se insere em meio às ações desenvolvidas pelo Programa Leitura e Ciência, organiza do mensalmente na Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, no espaço em questão. Inclui a apresentação de um grupo de contadores de histórias que utilizam textos de literatura, cenários criados com associações ao tema abordado e um convidado - pesquisador ou profissional da divulgação científica - que apresenta o tema durante quinze ou vinte minutos, ao que se segue o debate com o público. Registros videográficos do evento constituem o material empírico analisado. Tendo como enfoque de pesquisa o cunho qualitativo e interpretativo, apoiamo-nos em estudos de Mikhail Bakhtin, considerando o caráter dialógico da linguagem e enfatizando aspectos como a esfera de comunicação humana, a presença dos "já-ditos", e os sentidos estabelecidos pelos enunciadores na elaboração dos enunciados. Concluímos que, nesta esfera de comunicação, a constituição da enuncia ção é predominantemente do gênero cotidiano, estruturada por meio da linguagem coloquial, com momentos marcados pelo léxico da linguagem científica.