APTES functionalization in SBA-15: the effect on SO2 capture and detection applications.

The development of adsorbents for air pollutant remediation and effective monitoring is of interest. Then, the effect of the APTES functionalization ratio on the impact of the adsorption and detection of SO2 molecules was evaluated. The higher APTES functionalization material (SBA-15_6.1APTES) shows a high uptake of 1.15 mmol g-1 at 0.001 bar and 298 K. Fluorescence, time-resolved photoluminescence, and quantum yield experiments revealed a turn-on effect specifically for SO2 molecules, indicating high selectivity, suggesting host-to-guest energy transfer. Attractively, XPS measurement provided an understanding of the mechanism, suggesting hydrogen bonding and dipole-dipole interactions as the main interactions between SO2 molecules and SBA-15_6.1APTES. DFT calculations were performed to confirm these interactions. Furthermore, this study highlights the application of SBA-15 materials with different amino modifications for SO2 treatment and provides insight into the interaction mechanism using experimental techniques.

CYCU-3: an Al(III)-based MOF for SO2 capture and detection.

The Al(III)-based MOF CYCU-3 exhibits a relevant SO2 adsorption performance with a total uptake of 11.03 mmol g-1 at 1 bar and 298 K. CYCU-3 displays high chemical stability towards dry and wet SO2 exposure. DRIFTS experiments and computational calculations demonstrated that hydrogen bonding between SO2 molecules and bridging Al(III)-OH groups are the preferential adsorption sites. In addition, photoluminescence experiments demonstrated the relevance of CYCU-3 for application in SO2 detection with good selectivity for SO2 over CO2 and H2O. The change in fluorescence performance demonstrates a clear turn-on effect after SO2 interaction. Finally, the suppression of ligand-metal energy transfer along with the enhancement of ligand-centered π* → π electronic transition was proposed as a plausible fluorescence mechanism.

MOF-based catalysts: insights into the chemical transformation of greenhouse and toxic gases.

Metal-organic framework (MOF)-based catalysts are outstanding alternative materials for the chemical transformation of greenhouse and toxic gases into high-add-value products. MOF catalysts exhibit remarkable properties to host different active sites. The combination of catalytic properties of MOFs is mentioned in order to understand their application. Furthermore, the main catalytic reactions, which involve the chemical transformation of CH4, CO2, NOx, fluorinated gases, O3, CO, VOCs, and H2S, are highlighted. The main active centers and reaction conditions for these reactions are presented and discussed to understand the reaction mechanisms. Interestingly, implementing MOF materials as catalysts for toxic gas-phase reactions is a great opportunity to provide new alternatives to enhance the air quality of our planet.

SU-101: a Bi(III)-based metal-organic framework as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the CO2 cycloaddition reaction.

A non-porous version of SU-101 (herein n-SU-101) was evaluated for the CO2 cycloaddition reaction. The findings revealed that open metal sites (Bi3+) are necessary for the reaction. n-SU-101 displays a high styrene oxide conversion of 96.6% under mild conditions (3 bar and 80 °C). The catalytic activity of n-SU-101 demonstrated its potential application for the cycloaddition of CO2 using styrene oxide.

Gas-phase organometallic catalysis in MFM-300(Sc) provided by switchable dynamic metal sites.

MFM-300(Sc) was explored as a catalyst for the gas-phase hydrogenation of acetone. The catalysis results support the presence of non-permanent open Sc(III) sites within the structure due to the requirement of Lewis acid sites for the reaction to proceed. The open Sc(III) sites are generated in situ due to the presence of hemilabile Sc-O bonds. MFM-300(Sc) showed high mechanical and chemical stability, and the crystalline structure was maintained after the catalytic reaction. The catalytic activity of the material was quantified by performing a gas-phase reaction using a continuous flow reactor. The acetone conversion in MFM-300(Sc) was estimated to be 27.7% with no loss of activity after catalytic cycles.

Profound synchrony of age-specific incidence rates and tumor suppression for different cancer types as revealed by the multistage-senescence model of carcinogenesis.

The age-specific trend of cancer incidence rates, but not its magnitude, is well described employing the multistage theory of carcinogenesis by Armitage and Doll in combination with the senescence model of Pompei and Wilson. We derived empirical parameters of the multistage-senescence model from U.S. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) incidence data from 2000-2003 and 2010-2013 for The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cancer types. Under the assumption of a constant tumor-specific transition rate between stages, there is an extremely strong linear relationship (P < 0.0001) between the number of stages and the stage transition rate. The senescence tumor suppression factor for 20 non-reproductive cancers is remarkably consistent (0.0099±0.0005); however, five female reproductive cancers have significantly higher tumor suppression. The peak incidence rate for non-reproductive cancers occurs at a younger age for cancers with fewer stages and their carcinogenic stages are of longer duration. Driver gene mutations are shown to contribute on average only about a third of the carcinogenic stages of different tumor types. A tumor's accumulated incidence, calculated using a two-variable (age, stage) model, is strongly associated with intrinsic cancer risk. During both early adulthood and senescence, the pace of tumor suppression appears to be synchronized across most cancer types, suggesting the presence of overlapping evolutionary processes.

Standardized Definitions of Bleeding After Transbronchial Lung Biopsy: A Delphi Consensus Statement From the Nashville Working Group.

BACKGROUND: Transbronchial lung biopsies are commonly performed for a variety of indications. Although generally well tolerated, complications such as bleeding do occur. Description of bleeding severity is crucial both clinically and in research trials; to date, there is no validated scale that is widely accepted for this purpose. Can a simple, reproducible tool for categorizing the severity of bleeding after transbronchial biopsy be created? METHODS: Using the modified Delphi method, an international group of bronchoscopists sought to create a new scale tailored to assess bleeding severity among patients undergoing flexible bronchoscopy with transbronchial lung biopsies. Cessation criteria were specified a priori and included reaching > 80% consensus among the experts or three rounds, whichever occurred first. RESULTS: Thirty-six expert bronchoscopists from eight countries, both in academic and community practice settings, participated in the creation of the scale. After the live meeting, two iterations were made. The second and final scale was vetted by all 36 participants, with a weighted average of 4.47/5; 53% were satisfied, and 47% were very satisfied. The panel reached a consensus and proposes the Nashville Bleeding Scale. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a simplified airway bleeding scale that can be applied at bedside is an important, necessary tool for categorizing the severity of bleeding. Uniformity in reporting clinically significant airway bleeding during bronchoscopic procedures will improve the quality of the information derived and could lead to standardization of management. In addition to transbronchial biopsies, this scale could also be applied to other bronchoscopic procedures, such as endobronchial biopsy or endobronchial ultrasound-guided needle aspiration.

E-cigarette use related lung disease, review of clinical and imaging findings in 3 cases.

Electronic-cigarette use (vaping), has gained popularity among the young adult population, causing an alarming rise in electronic-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI). The specific chemical agent(s) responsible for lung injuries remains to be further investigated, but tetrahydrocannabinol, the active ingredient in marijuana, and vitamin E acetate are involved in most cases. A variety of pulmonary diseases causing different imaging findings have been described with EVALI. The clinical and imaging findings of three cases recently seen in our emergency department are reviewed.

A community effort to create standards for evaluating tumor subclonal reconstruction.

Tumor DNA sequencing data can be interpreted by computational methods that analyze genomic heterogeneity to infer evolutionary dynamics. A growing number of studies have used these approaches to link cancer evolution with clinical progression and response to therapy. Although the inference of tumor phylogenies is rapidly becoming standard practice in cancer genome analyses, standards for evaluating them are lacking. To address this need, we systematically assess methods for reconstructing tumor subclonality. First, we elucidate the main algorithmic problems in subclonal reconstruction and develop quantitative metrics for evaluating them. Then we simulate realistic tumor genomes that harbor all known clonal and subclonal mutation types and processes. Finally, we benchmark 580 tumor reconstructions, varying tumor read depth, tumor type and somatic variant detection. Our analysis provides a baseline for the establishment of gold-standard methods to analyze tumor heterogeneity.

Fiducial marker placement with electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy: a subgroup analysis of the prospective, multicenter NAVIGATE study.

BACKGROUND: Fiducial markers (FMs) help direct stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and localization for surgical resection in lung cancer management. We report the safety, accuracy, and practice patterns of FM placement utilizing electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB). METHODS: NAVIGATE is a global, prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study of ENB using the superDimension™ navigation system. This prospectively collected subgroup analysis presents the patient demographics, procedural characteristics, and 1-month outcomes in patients undergoing ENB-guided FM placement. Follow up through 24 months is ongoing. RESULTS: Two-hundred fifty-eight patients from 21 centers in the United States were included. General anesthesia was used in 68.2%. Lesion location was confirmed by radial endobronchial ultrasound in 34.5% of procedures. The median ENB procedure time was 31.0 min. Concurrent lung lesion biopsy was conducted in 82.6% (213/258) of patients. A mean of 2.2 ± 1.7 FMs (median 1.0 FMs) were placed per patient and 99.2% were accurately positioned based on subjective operator assessment. Follow-up imaging showed that 94.1% (239/254) of markers remained in place. The procedure-related pneumothorax rate was 5.4% (14/258) overall and 3.1% (8/258) grade ⩾ 2 based on the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events scale. The procedure-related grade ⩾ 4 respiratory failure rate was 1.6% (4/258). There were no bronchopulmonary hemorrhages. CONCLUSION: ENB is an accurate and versatile tool to place FMs for SBRT and localization for surgical resection with low complication rates. The ability to perform a biopsy safely in the same procedure can also increase efficiency. The impact of practice pattern variations on therapeutic effectiveness requires further study. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02410837.

Fetal response to intramuscular epinephrine for anaphylaxis during maternal penicillin desensitization for secondary syphilis.

Penicillin desensitization is indicated in pregnant patients with severe allergies to penicillin with syphilis. The immediate effects of intramuscular epinephrine on the fetus during desensitization remain unreported. We describe a pregnant patient with secondary syphilis and penicillin allergy who developed anaphylaxis during penicillin desensitization. Anaphylaxis resolved after administration of intramuscular epinephrine. Throughout the procedure, continuous electronic fetal monitoring showed a stable fetus without a decrease in variability, tachycardia, decelerations, or signs of fetal distress. This case showed that intramuscular epinephrine is effective in treatment of anaphylaxis in a pregnant patient with little to no immediate effects on the fetus.

Absceso retrofaríngeo en lactante menor: reporte de caso y revisión de la literatura / Retropharyngeal abscess in a toddler: case report and literature review

El absceso retrofaríngeo corresponde a una complicación infrecuente de las infecciones de tracto respiratorio superior, asociada a una potencial pero significativa morbimortalidad. Posee mayor incidencia en la edad pediátrica, siendo la media de presentación los 3 años. En la literatura se le atribuyen diferentes factores de riesgo, destacando como factores endógenos enfermedades crónicas como diabetes mellitus y otros estados de inmunodeficiencia, y como factor exógeno las infecciones de vía aérea superior, dentarias y el traumatismo por cuerpo extraño. Si bien es difícil aislar un solo agente etiológico, se describe con mayor frecuencia la participación de Streptococcus pyogenes. El diagnóstico es eminentemente clínico, con confirmación imagenológica con tomografía computarizada como gold standard. El tratamiento es controversial, existiendo defensores de un tratamiento quirúrgico precoz versus un manejo expectante con antibióticos endovenosos. Se presenta a continuación el caso de una lactante menor de 1 año 4 meses hospitalizada en el Servicio de Pediatría en Hospital San Camilo en San Felipe por un cuadro febril agudo, catalogado inicialmente como meningitis, resultando en un absceso retrofaríngeo con extensión hacia mediastino superior, el cual fue resuelto de manera exitosa con tratamiento quirúrgico precoz asociado a antibióticos endovenosos de amplio espectro.

Retropharyngeal abscess corresponds to an uncommon complication of upper respiratory tract infections, associated with a potential but significant morbidity and mortality. It has a greater incidence in the pediatric age, being the average of presentation the 3 years. Different risk factors are attributed to the disease in the literature, standing out endogenous chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus and other immunodeficiency states, and exogenous factors such as upper airway infections, dental infections and foreign body trauma. Although it is difficult to isolate a single etiologic agent, the involvement of Streptococcus pyogenes is more frequently described. The diagnosis is eminently clinical, with confirmed imaging with Tomography computed as gold standard. Treatment is controversial, with advocates of early surgical treatment versus expectant management with intravenous antibiotics. Is presented below the case of a toddler girl of 1 year and 4 months hospitalized in the Pediatrics service at San Camilo's Hospital in San Felipe by an acute febrile condition, initially classified as meningitis, resulting in a retropharyngeal abscess with extension towards the upper mediastinum, which was successfully solved with early surgical treatment associated with broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics.

ISOpureR: an R implementation of a computational purification algorithm of mixed tumour profiles.

BACKGROUND: Tumour samples containing distinct sub-populations of cancer and normal cells present challenges in the development of reproducible biomarkers, as these biomarkers are based on bulk signals from mixed tumour profiles. ISOpure is the only mRNA computational purification method to date that does not require a paired tumour-normal sample, provides a personalized cancer profile for each patient, and has been tested on clinical data. Replacing mixed tumour profiles with ISOpure-preprocessed cancer profiles led to better prognostic gene signatures for lung and prostate cancer. RESULTS: To simplify the integration of ISOpure into standard R-based bioinformatics analysis pipelines, the algorithm has been implemented as an R package. The ISOpureR package performs analogously to the original code in estimating the fraction of cancer cells and the patient cancer mRNA abundance profile from tumour samples in four cancer datasets. CONCLUSIONS: The ISOpureR package estimates the fraction of cancer cells and personalized patient cancer mRNA abundance profile from a mixed tumour profile. This open-source R implementation enables integration into existing computational pipelines, as well as easy testing, modification and extension of the model.

Reading skills, creativity, and insight: exploring the connections

Studies of the relationship between creativity and specific reading disabilities have produced inconclusive results. We explored their relationship in a sample of 259 college students (age range: 17 to 38 years-old) from three Chilean universities. The students were tested on their verbal ability, creativity, and insight. A simple linear regression was performed on the complete sample, and on high- and low-achievement groups that were formed based on reading test scores. We observed a significant correlation in the total sample between outcomes on the verbal ability tasks, and on the creativity and insight tasks (range r =. 152 to r =. 356, ps <.001). Scores on the reading comprehension and phonological awareness tasks were the best predictors of performance on creativity and insight tasks (range β = .315 to β = .155, ps <.05). A comparison of the low- and high-scoring groups on verbal ability tasks yielded results to the same effect. These findings do not support the hypothesis that specific reading disability is associated with better performance on creative tasks. Instead, higher verbal ability was found to be associated with higher creativity and insight (AU)

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Mating behavior and its morphological correlates in two color morphs of Girardinus metallicus (Pisces: Poeciliidae), a species previously thought not to exhibit courtship display.

Girardinus metallicus is a Cuban poeciliid fish whose social behavior has been little studied. The only account involves a colorless morph that is sexually monochromatic and does not exhibit courtship display. We describe the behavior of two other morphs (black and yellow) that exhibit sexual dichromatism. We observed courtship displays in black but not yellow males. Contrary to the pattern in most poeciliids, black males exhibit long gonopodia and courtship; typically, longer gonopodia evolve in species without courtship, because they facilitate coercive mating but circumvent female choice. We focused on the black morph to address whether morphological traits are favored by sexual selection. Larger males with longer gonopodia courted and attempted copulations more often. Black area was not associated with intersexual interactions, but was positively associated with aggressiveness. Dominant males attempted more copulations, consistent with the idea that black coloration may be a badge of status. Black males may possess long gonopodia because the gonopodium itself is a target of female choice. However, there was no difference in gonopodium length between black and yellow males, although the latter do not court. We discuss processes that may maintain the polymorphism and prospects for future studies in this intriguing system.

Reading skills, creativity, and insight: exploring the connections.

Studies of the relationship between creativity and specific reading disabilities have produced inconclusive results. We explored their relationship in a sample of 259 college students (age range: 17 to 38 years-old) from three Chilean universities. The students were tested on their verbal ability, creativity, and insight. A simple linear regression was performed on the complete sample, and on high- and low-achievement groups that were formed based on reading test scores. We observed a significant correlation in the total sample between outcomes on the verbal ability tasks, and on the creativity and insight tasks (range r =. 152 to r =. 356, ps <.001). Scores on the reading comprehension and phonological awareness tasks were the best predictors of performance on creativity and insight tasks (range ß = .315 to ß = .155, ps <.05). A comparison of the low- and high-scoring groups on verbal ability tasks yielded results to the same effect. These findings do not support the hypothesis that specific reading disability is associated with better performance on creative tasks. Instead, higher verbal ability was found to be associated with higher creativity and insight.

Revisión de la literatura: lesiones cervicales no cariogénicas / Noncarious cervical lesions: a review

La pérdida de tejido dental en la región cervical ha sido comúnmente atribuida a la abrasión que produce el cepillado y a la erosión. Sin embargo, el papel de las fuerzas oclusales es, desde hace ya unos años, un factor a tener en cuenta en el desarrollo de estas lesiones cervicales. Distinguir las diferentes entidades que conducen a la génesis de estos defectos y sus posibles interrelaciones permitirá una mejoría en la prevención, el tratamiento y seguimiento de todos nuestros pacientes (AU)

The loss of dental tissue in the cervical area has been commonly attributed to abrasion caused by the brushing and erosion. However, during recent years, the role of the occlusal forces is a factor to take into account when these cervical injures develops. Determining the different entities that lead to the genesis of these defects and their possible interrelations will allow an improvement in the prevention, the treatment and monitoring of all our patients (AU)

[Interventional radiology, angioplasty and TIPS in Budd-Chiari syndrome]. / Procedimientos radiológicos intervencionistas, angioplastia y DPPI en el tratamiento del síndrome de Budd-Chiari.

INTRODUCTION: Budd-Chiari syndrome consists of complete or partial obstruction of the hepatic veins. Many treatment options are available; new interventional radiology techniques may play an important role as an alternative to surgical shunting. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Of 11 patients diagnosed with Budd-Chiari syndrome, 7 were treated with percutaneous balloon angioplasty or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) (2 and 5 patients, respectively). The efficacy of both techniques in the treatment of this syndrome was evaluated. RESULTS: Two patients presented significant isolated stenosis of a suprahepatic vein and underwent percutaneous balloon angioplasty. In both patients outcome was favorable with resolution of ascites. Five patients underwent TIPS and four showed clinical improvement with significant reduction in Child-Pugh score (p < 0.05) and resolution of ascites. No shunt malfunction was detected during follow-up. One patient showed no improvement after placement of TIPS and died soon after the procedure and a further two died from their underlying disease during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of Budd-Chiari syndrome requires multidisciplinary evaluation and should be individualized. In patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome uncontrolled by medical therapy, TIPS may become the decompressive method of choice as an alternative to surgical shunting. Liver transplantation may be reserved to patients in whom these techniques are ineffective.

[Leishmaniasis in a patient with liver cirrhosis]. / Leishmaniasis en paciente con cirrosis hepática.

We present a 35 years-old man with fever related leishmania infection as the first complication of a previously undiagnosed cirrhosis. Diagnosis of leishmaniasis is often complicated. Clinical and therapeutical aspects are commented.