[Effectiveness of early pelvic muscle training on pelvic floor strength, urinary incontinence symptoms, sexual function, and quality of life in post-radical prostatectomy patients: Systematic review of randomized clinical trials]. / Efectividad del entrenamiento muscular pélvico temprano en la fuerza de suelo pélvico, síntomas de incontinencia urinaria, función sexual y calidad de vida en pacientes posprostatectomía radical: revisión sistemática de ensayos clínicos aleatorizados.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of early pelvic muscle training in reducing urinary incontinence symptoms, improving quality of life, sexual function, and increasing pelvic floor strength in post-radical prostatectomy patients. A search was carried out in 8 databases until October 26, 2022, the methodological quality and the risk of bias of 14 included studies (n=1236) were evaluated, moreover, the evidence and the meta-analysis were calculated. The intervention significantly reduced urinary incontinence symptoms compared to a control group (SMD=-2.80, 95% CI=-5.21 to -0.39, P=.02), with significant heterogeneity (I2=83%; P=<.0001) and moderate evidence. In addition, it presented moderate evidence to improve quality of life, and very low evidence to improve sexual function and pelvic floor strength. These results should be viewed with caution due to the significant heterogeneity of the studies analysed.

Baseline Findings of PreventE4: A Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial Testing High Dose DHA in APOE4 Carriers before the Onset of Dementia.

INTRODUCTION: Lower blood levels of the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are correlated with worse cognitive functions, particularly among APOE ε4 carriers. Whether DHA supplementation in APOE ε4 carriers with limited DHA consumption and dementia risk factors can delay or slow down disease progression when started before the onset of clinical dementia is not known. METHODS: PreventE4 is a double-blind, single site, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in cognitively unimpaired individuals with limited omega-3 consumption and dementia risk factors (n=368). Its objectives are to determine (1) whether carrying the APOE ε4 allele is associated with lower delivery of DHA to the brain; and (2) whether high dose DHA supplementation affects brain imaging biomarkers of AD and cognitive function. RESULTS: 365 cognitively unimpaired individuals between 55 and 80 (mean age 66) were randomized to 2 grams of DHA per day or identically appearing placebo for a period of 2 years. Half the participants were asked to complete lumbar punctures at baseline and 6-month visits to obtain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The primary trial outcome measure is the change in CSF DHA to arachidonic acid ratio after 6 months of the intervention (n=181). Secondary trial outcomes include the change in functional and structural connectivity using resting state functional MRI at 24 months (n=365). Exploratory outcomes include the change in Repeatable Battery of the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status at 24 months (n=365). CONCLUSIONS: Findings from PreventE4 will clarify the brain delivery of DHA in individuals carrying the APOE ε4 allele with implications for dementia prevention strategies. Trial was registered as NCT03613844.

Which model of small bowel capsule endoscopy has a better diagnostic yield? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background and study aims: Small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is a safe and efficient method for diagnosis of small-bowel diseases. Since its development, different models have appeared. The aim of this study was to analyze which of the different models of SBCE has the best diagnostic yield. Patients and methods: Extensive medical literature research was reviewed, using MESH terms, searching studies comparing different SBCE types. We analyzed the diagnostic yield of all the comparisons and when there were 2 or more studies that compared the same model of SBCEs, a meta-analysis was performed. Results: Ten eligible studies including 1065 SBCEs procedures were identified. The main indication was occult gastrointestinal bleeding in 9/10 studies. Two of them included anemia, chronic diarrhea and/or chronic abdominal pain. The indication in one article was celiac disease. In 9 studies, different types of SBCEs (MiroCam, Endocapsule, OMOM and CapsoCam) were compared with PillCam (SB, SB2 and SB3). Three studies compared MiroCam vs PillCam and CapsoCam vs PillCam, while two studies contrast Endocapsule vs PillCam. None of the SBCEs show superiority over PillCam [OR 0.78 (95%CI;0.60-1.01)]. One study compared SBCEs other than Pillcam (MiroCam vs Endocapsule). Nine studies did not find statistical differences between SBCEs, one showed better diagnostic yield of Mirocam compared with PillCam SB3 (p=0.02). The difference between these SBCE was not replayed in the metaanalysis [OR 0.77 (95%CI;0.49-1.21)]. Conclusions: Despite the appearance of new SBCE models, there are no differences in diagnostic yield; therefore, SBCE endoscopist's performance should be based on experience and availability.

Evaluation of multimodal intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring during supratentorial aneurysm surgery: a comparative study.

The objective of this study is to determine the role of multimodal intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring (IONM) in the overall outcome of intracranial aneurysms surgery, and the risk factors associated with ischemic complications. We grouped 268 ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms surgically treated at our institution into 2 cohorts, based on the use of IONM (180; 67.16%) or non-use of IONM (88; 32.84%). The IONM technique used was multimodal: electroencephalogram (EEG), somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs), transcranial (TES), and direct cortical (DCS) stimulation motor evoked potentials (MEPs). There was a significant difference, with a reduction in perioperative strokes (p = 0.011) and better motor surgery-related outcome in the IONM group (p = 0.016). Independent risk factors identified for surgery ischemic complications were temporary clipping time ≥ 6'05″ (odds ratio [OR]: 3.03; 95% CI: 1.068-8.601; p = 0.037), aneurysm size ≥ 7.5 mm (OR: 2.65; 95% CI: 1.127-6.235; p = 0.026), and non-use of IONM (OR: 2.79; 95% CI: 1.171-6.636; p = 0.021). Conversely, aneurysm rupture was not detected as an independent risk factor (OR: 2.5; 95% CI: 0.55-4.55; p = 0.4). Longer temporary clipping time, larger aneurysm size, and the non-use of IONM could be considered as risk factors for ischemic complications during microsurgical clipping. A standardized designed protocol including multimodal IONM with DCS provides continuous information about blood supply and allows reduction of treatment-related morbidity. Multimodal IONM is a valuable technique in intracranial aneurysm surgery.

Analysis of body condition indices reveals different ecotypes of the Antillean manatee.

Assessing the body condition of wild animals is necessary to monitor the health of the population and is critical to defining a framework for conservation actions. Body condition indices (BCIs) are a non-invasive and relatively simple means to assess the health of individual animals, useful for addressing a wide variety of ecological, behavioral, and management questions. The Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) is an endangered subspecies of the West Indian manatee, facing a wide variety of threats from mostly human-related origins. Our objective was to define specific BCIs for the subspecies that, coupled with additional health, genetic and demographic information, can be valuable to guide management decisions. Biometric measurements of 380 wild Antillean manatees captured in seven different locations within their range of distribution were obtained. From this information, we developed three BCIs (BCI1 = UG/SL, BCI2 = W/SL3, BCI3 = W/(SL*UG2)). Linear models and two-way ANCOVA tests showed significant differences of the BCIs among sexes and locations. Although our three BCIs are suitable for Antillean manatees, BCI1 is more practical as it does not require information about weight, which can be a metric logistically difficult to collect under particular circumstances. BCI1 was significantly different among environments, revealing that the phenotypic plasticity of the subspecies have originated at least two ecotypes-coastal marine and riverine-of Antillean manatees.

Endovascular Treatment of Small and Very Small Intracranial Aneurysms with the Woven EndoBridge Device.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The Woven EndoBridge has proved to be a safe and effective treatment, especially for wide-neck intracranial aneurysms. The recent fifth-generation Woven EndoBridge came with smaller devices. The purpose of this study was to assess the safety and efficiency of Woven EndoBridge treatment of small and very small aneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between September 2017 and March 2020, all consecutive patients treated with a 3- or 3.5 mm-width Woven EndoBridge device were included in this retrospective intention-to-treat study. Clinical and radiologic findings were evaluated at immediate and last-available follow-up. Angiographic outcome was assessed by an external expert reader. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-eight aneurysms were treated with a fifth-generation Woven EndoBridge device including 29 with a width of ≤3.5 mm. Ten aneurysms were ruptured (34%). In 3 cases (10%), Woven EndoBridge treatment could not be performed because the aneurysm was still too small for the smallest available Woven EndoBridge device and another endovascular strategy was chosen. The median follow-up time was 11.2 months. Complete and adequate occlusion was obtained in 71% and 90% of the treated aneurysms, respectively. Retreatment was needed in 2 cases (10%). Symptomatic ischemic complications leading to transient neurologic deficits occurred in 2 cases (7%) (1 procedure-related and 1 device-related) but with full spontaneous recovery at discharge. CONCLUSIONS: The fifth-generation Woven EndoBridge device seems to be a safe and technically feasible treatment for both ruptured and unruptured small and very small intracranial aneurysms, with satisfactory occlusion rates on midterm follow-up. However, further study is needed to evaluate longer-term efficiency.

Modeling the coating layer thickness in a pharmaceutical coating process.

Although mechanistic numerical simulations can offer great insights into a process, they are limited with respect to resolved process time. While statistical models provide long-term predictability, determining the underlying probability distributions is often challenging. In this work, detailed CFD-DEM simulations of a pharmaceutical Wurster coating process for microspheres are used to evaluate the input parameters for a novel Monte-Carlo simulation approach. The combined strengths of both modeling approaches make it possible to predict the coating mass and thickness distributions over the entire process time. It was observed that smaller beads receive a thicker coating layer since they pass the spray zone closer to the nozzle. Moreover, it was established that, in contrast to the airflow rate, the spray rate has a great impact on the inter-particle coating variability. A stochastic model was developed to investigate the relative contribution of coating layer variability and fill weight variability to the product non-uniformity in a capsule filling process of Multiple Unit Pellet Systems (MUPS).

Understanding the Functional Impact of VOC-Ozone Mixtures on the Chemistry of RNA in Epithelial Lung Cells.

Introduction: Ambient air pollution is associated with premature death caused by heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer. Recent studies have suggested that ribonucleic acid (RNA) oxidation is a sensitive environment-related biomarker that is implicated in pathogenesis. Aims and Methods: We used a novel approach that integrated RNA-Seq analysis with detection by immunoprecipitation techniques of the prominent RNA oxidative modification 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoG). Our goal was to uncover specific messenger RNA (mRNA) oxidation induced by mixtures of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and ozone in healthy human epithelial lung cells. To this end, we exposed the BEAS-2B human epithelial lung cell line to the gas- and particle-phase products formed from reactions of 790 ppb acrolein (ACR) and 670 ppb methacrolein (MACR) with 4 ppm ozone. Results: Using this approach, we identified 222 potential direct targets of oxidation belonging to previously described pathways, as well as uncharacterized pathways, after air pollution exposures. We demonstrated the effect of our VOC-ozone mixtures on the morphology and actin cytoskeleton of lung cells, suggesting the influence of selective mRNA oxidation in members of pathways regulating physical components of the cells. In addition, we observed the influence of the VOC-ozone mixtures on metabolic cholesterol synthesis, likely implicated as a result of the incidence of mRNA oxidation and the deregulation of protein levels of squalene synthase (farnesyl-diphosphate farnesyltransferase 1 [FDFT1]), a key enzyme in endogenous cholesterol biosynthesis. Conclusions: Overall, our findings indicate that air pollution influences the accumulation of 8-oxoG in transcripts of epithelial lung cells that largely belong to stress-induced signaling and metabolic and structural pathways. A strength of the study was that it combined traditional transcriptome analysis with transcriptome-wide 8-oxoG mapping to facilitate the discovery of underlying processes not characterized by earlier approaches. Investigation of the processes mediated by air pollution oxidation of RNA molecules in primary cells and animal models needs to be explored in future studies. Our research has thus opened new avenues to further inform the relationship between atmospheric agents on the one hand and cellular responses on the other that are implicated in diseases.

Vorinostat as potential antiparasitic drug.

OBJECTIVE: Vorinostat is a drug used to treat cutaneous T cell lymphoma whose action mechanism is based on Histone Deacetylase inhibition. Histone Deacetylases are a family of enzymes that remove acetyl groups from histone and non-histone proteins that control many crucial processes, such as gene regulation, cell cycle progression, differentiation, and apoptosis. Histone Deacetylase homologues are also expressed in parasites of the genus Plasmodium, Leishmania, Cryptosporidium, Schistosoma, Entamoeba, and others. In this way, antiparasitic properties of Vorinostat have been explored. The aim of this review is to report the current state knowledge of Vorinostat as antiparasitic drug against Plasmodium, Leishmania, Cryptosporidium, Schistosoma and Entamoeba in order to support future investigation in this field. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors revised the recent and relevant literature concerning the topic and discussed advances and limitations of studies on Vorinostat as potential drug to treat human parasitic diseases. RESULTS: Vorinostat has been efficient in vitro and, in some cases, in vivo, against parasites that cause parasitic diseases, such as malaria, leishmaniasis, cryptosporidiosis, amoebiasis, and schistosomiasis. CONCLUSIONS: In vitro and in vivo models have demonstrated the antiparasitic activity of Vorinostat, however, the challenge is to assay its activity in animal models and to evaluate if Vorinostat is safe for humans as new alternative to treat human parasitic infections.

Entrenamiento con restricción parcial de flujo sanguíneo en personas con enfermedades cardiovasculares: una revisión exploratoria / Blood flow restriction training for people with cardiovascular disease: an exploratory review

OBJETIVO: Analizar la evidencia sobre los efectos del entrenamiento con restricción parcial del flujo sanguíneo en personas con enfermedades cardiovasculares. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Se realizó una búsqueda en las bases de datos de MEDLINE, EMBASE, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, LILACS, SCOPUS y Wiley. Fueron incluidos estudios experimentales y no experimentales que investigaron sobre los efectos de la restricción parcial del flujo sanguíneo en sujetos con enfermedad cardiovascular. RESULTADOS: Seis ensayos clínicos y tres estudios no experimentales cumplieron los criterios de inclusión. Los estudios experimentales fueron realizados en sujetos con hipertensión arterial y enfermedad isquémica del corazón. Los estudios no experimentales describieron las adaptaciones hemodinámicas y los potenciales efectos secundarios de la terapia. El riesgo de sesgo de los ensayos clínicos incluidos fue de moderado a alto. El estrés hemodinámico inducido por el ejercicio aumenta significativamente durante el entrenamiento con restricción parcial del flujo sanguíneo en comparación al entrenamiento tradicional. La limitada cantidad de estudios disponibles se han centrado mayoritariamente en los efectos agudos, sin embargo, los efectos crónicos son desconocidos. CONCLUSIÓN: Actualmente no hay evidencia que recomiende el uso de la restricción parcial del flujo sanguíneo en personas con enfermedades cardiovasculares

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the evidence on the effects of blood flow restriction training in people with cardiovascular disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, LILACS, SCOPUS and Wiley databases. Experimental and non-experimental studies investigating the effects of blood flow restriction in participants with cardiovascular disease were included. RESULTS: Six clinical trials and three non-experimental studies met the inclusion criteria. The experimental studies were conducted in participants with hypertension and ischaemic heart disease. Non-experimental studies described hemodynamic adaptations and potential adverse effects of therapy. The risk of bias of the included clinical trials was moderate to high. Exercise-induced hemodynamic stress increased significantly during training with blood flow restriction compared with traditional training. The small number of available studies have focused mostly on acute effects, but chronic effects are unknown. CONCLUSION: There is currently no evidence to recommend the use of blood flow restriction in people with cardiovascular disease

[Blood flow restriction training for people with cardiovascular disease: An exploratory review]. / Entrenamiento con restricción parcial de flujo sanguíneo en personas con enfermedades cardiovasculares: una revisión exploratoria.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the evidence on the effects of blood flow restriction training in people with cardiovascular disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, LILACS, SCOPUS and Wiley databases. Experimental and non-experimental studies investigating the effects of blood flow restriction in participants with cardiovascular disease were included. RESULTS: Six clinical trials and three non-experimental studies met the inclusion criteria. The experimental studies were conducted in participants with hypertension and ischaemic heart disease. Non-experimental studies described hemodynamic adaptations and potential adverse effects of therapy. The risk of bias of the included clinical trials was moderate to high. Exercise-induced hemodynamic stress increased significantly during training with blood flow restriction compared with traditional training. The small number of available studies have focused mostly on acute effects, but chronic effects are unknown. CONCLUSION: There is currently no evidence to recommend the use of blood flow restriction in people with cardiovascular disease.

Vorinostat, a possible alternative to metronidazole for the treatment of amebiasis caused by Entamoeba histolytica.

AbbreviationsSAHAsuberoylanilide hydroxamic acidEhHDACHistone Deacetylase from Entamoeba histolyticaRgRadius of gyrationRMSDroot-mean-square deviationRMSFroot-mean-square fluctuationMDSmolecular dynamics simulationVMDVisual Molecular DynamicsNAMDNanoscale Molecular DynamicsPBCperiodic boundary conditionsPMEParticle Mesh Ewald3Dthree-dimensionalCαalpha carbonFDAFood and Drug AdministrationnsnanosecondsGPU CUDAGraphics Processing Unit Compute Unified Device ArchitectureCommunicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Therapeutic uses of metronidazole and its side effects: an update.

OBJECTIVE: Metronidazole is an antibiotic widely used in different medical conditions such as trichomoniasis, amoebiasis, and giardiasis among others. Its use has been associated with toxicity; however, it is not well characterized. In this review, we discuss the different therapeutic uses of metronidazole and its side effects in order to aid future investigation in this field. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relevant information, original research articles, clinical trials, and reviews were collected from PubMed to know the state of the art of the different therapeutic uses of metronidazole and the reported side effects. RESULTS: Metronidazole was used by the first time in 1959, to treat an infection caused by Trichomonas vaginalis; subsequently, new therapeutic properties were discovered. Nowadays, Metronidazole is used to treat infections caused by Bacteroides, Fusobacteria and Clostridia, rosacea, oral and dental infections, bone and joint infections, gynecologic infections, endocarditis, septicemia, and respiratory tract infections. It also can be used to treat Crohn´s disease or even like prophylaxis, before surgical procedures. Metronidazole is well tolerated with mild to moderate side effects such as nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Nevertheless, serious neurotoxicity, optic neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy, and encephalopathy have been reported in rare cases. Their genotoxic effects observed in animal models are controversial in humans. CONCLUSIONS: The therapeutic use of metronidazole had increased worldwide. Even though it is widely used, metronidazole has been associated with neurotoxicity and genotoxicity; however, its side effects are not well established. Conversely, its veterinary use is restricted in some countries because of its tumor association. Subsequently, further studies are needed to discover the secure use of metronidazole and describe new usages for this drug.

A Canonical Biophysical Model of the CsrA Global Regulator Suggests Flexible Regulator-Target Interactions.

Bacterial global post-transcriptional regulators execute hundreds of interactions with targets that display varying molecular features while retaining specificity. Herein, we develop, validate, and apply a biophysical, statistical thermodynamic model of canonical target mRNA interactions with the CsrA global post-transcriptional regulator to understand the molecular features that contribute to target regulation. Altogether, we model interactions of CsrA with a pool of 236 mRNA: 107 are experimentally regulated by CsrA and 129 are suspected interaction partners. Guided by current understanding of CsrA-mRNA interactions, we incorporate (i) mRNA nucleotide sequence, (ii) cooperativity of CsrA-mRNA binding, and (iii) minimization of mRNA structural changes to identify an ensemble of likely binding sites and their free energies. The regulatory impact of bound CsrA on mRNA translation is determined with the RBS calculator. Predicted regulation of 66 experimentally regulated mRNAs adheres to the principles of canonical CsrA-mRNA interactions; the remainder implies that other, diverse mechanisms may underlie CsrA-mRNA interaction and regulation. Importantly, results suggest that this global regulator may bind targets in multiple conformations, via flexible stretches of overlapping predicted binding sites. This novel observation expands the notion that CsrA always binds to its targets at specific consensus sequences.

Double-balloon enteroscopy: Indications, approaches, diagnostic and therapeutic yield, and safety. Early experience at a single center. / Enteroscopia de doble balón: indicaciones, abordajes, eficacia diagnóstica y terapéutica y seguridad. Experiencia temprana de un solo centro.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Double-balloon enteroscopy has been improving the visualization of the entire intestine for more than a decade. It is a complementary method in the study of intestinal diseases that enables biopsies to be taken and treatments to be administered. Our aim was to describe its main indications, insertion routes, diagnostic/therapeutic yield, and complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients referred to our unit with suspected small bowel pathology were included. The insertion route (oral/anal) was determined through diagnostic suspicion. The variables measured were: insertion route, small bowel examination extent, endoscopic diagnosis/treatment, biopsy/histopathology report, complications, and surgical findings. RESULTS: The study included 28 double-balloon enteroscopies performed on 23 patients, of which 10 were women and 13 were men (mean age of 52.95 years). The oral approach was the most widely used (n=21), the main indication was overt small bowel bleeding (n=16), and the general diagnostic yield was 65.21%. The therapeutic intervention rate was 39.1% and the procedure was effective in all the cases. The most widely used treatment was argon plasma therapy (n=7). The complication rate was 8.6%; one patient presented with low blood pressure due to active bleeding and another had deep mucosal laceration caused by the argon plasma. CONCLUSIONS: Double-balloon enteroscopy is a safe and efficacious method for the study and management of small bowel diseases, with an elevated diagnostic and therapeutic yield.

Nonlinear dispersive waves in repulsive lattices.

The propagation of nonlinear waves in a lattice of repelling particles is studied theoretically and experimentally. A simple experimental setup is proposed, consisting of an array of coupled magnetic dipoles. By driving harmonically the lattice at one boundary, we excite propagating waves and demonstrate different regimes of mode conversion into higher harmonics, strongly influenced by dispersion and discreteness. The phenomenon of acoustic dilatation of the chain is also predicted and discussed. The results are compared with the theoretical predictions of the α-Fermi-Pasta-Ulam equation, describing a chain of masses connected by nonlinear quadratic springs and numerical simulations. The results can be extrapolated to other systems described by this equation.

Large volume serial section tomography by Xe Plasma FIB dual beam microscopy.

Ga(+) Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscopes (FIB-SEM) have revolutionised the level of microstructural information that can be recovered in 3D by block face serial section tomography (SST), as well as enabling the site-specific removal of smaller regions for subsequent transmission electron microscope (TEM) examination. However, Ga(+) FIB material removal rates limit the volumes and depths that can be probed to dimensions in the tens of microns range. Emerging Xe(+) Plasma Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscope (PFIB-SEM) systems promise faster removal rates. Here we examine the potential of the method for large volume serial section tomography as applied to bainitic steel and WC-Co hard metals. Our studies demonstrate that with careful control of milling parameters precise automated serial sectioning can be achieved with low levels of milling artefacts at removal rates some 60× faster. Volumes that are hundreds of microns in dimension have been collected using fully automated SST routines in feasible timescales (<24h) showing good grain orientation contrast and capturing microstructural features at the tens of nanometres to the tens of microns scale. Accompanying electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) maps show high indexing rates suggesting low levels of surface damage. Further, under high current Ga(+) FIB milling WC-Co is prone to amorphisation of WC surface layers and phase transformation of the Co phase, neither of which have been observed at PFIB currents as high as 60nA at 30kV. Xe(+) PFIB dual beam microscopes promise to radically extend our capability for 3D tomography, 3D EDX, 3D EBSD as well as correlative tomography.

Copper-palladium core-shell as an anode in a multi-fuel membraneless nanofluidic fuel cell: toward a new era of small energy conversion devices.

A membraneless nanofluidic fuel cell with flow-through electrodes that works with several fuels (individually or mixed): methanol, ethanol, glycerol and ethylene-glycol in alkaline media is presented. For this application, an efficient Cu@Pd electrocatalyst was synthesized and tested, resulting outstanding performance until now reported, opening the possibility of power nano-devices for multi-uses purposes, regardless of fuel re-charge employed.

RAndomized Comparison of raDIal vs. femorAL Access for Routine Catheterization of Heart Transplant Patients (RADIAL-heart transplant study).

Although a transradial approach (TRA) is considered feasible in many clinical situations, no data are available in patients undergoing orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). Our goal was to randomly compare TRA versus a transfemoral approach (TFA) in this clinical setting. This single-center, prospective, randomized trial was conducted from January to November 2006, and all OHT patients scheduled for a control coronary angiography were randomized to receive TRA or TFA. The primary endpoint was the amount of contrast used during the procedure. The participating interventional cardiologists were intermediate-volume radial operators, and this was their initial experience of TRA in OHT patients. The analysis was performed according to the intention-to-treat principle. Overall, 49 patients (mean age, 55 ± 13 years; 74% male) were included in the trial: 26 patients were assigned to TRA, and 23 were assigned to TFA. A higher amount of contrast (147 mL [range, 113-175 mL] vs 105 mL [range, 86-127 mL]; P = .009), a longer fluoroscopy time (9.2 minutes [range, 6-12 minutes] vs 3.5 minutes [range, 3-5 minutes]; P < .001), a trend toward increased number of catheters used for left ostium cannulation, and a higher crossover rate (19% vs 0%; P = .03) were associated with TRA compared with TFA. Furthermore, patients treated with TRA exhibit a shorter hospital stay (6 [range 4-8]) compared with the other group (26 [range 24-28]) (P < .001). There were no significant differences between the 2 groups regarding total procedural time, and no vascular complications were reported in either group. For these operators with their first experience of TRA in OHT patients, TFA seemed to be more efficient.

Hidden sources of mercury in clinical laboratories.

The healthcare sector is an important contributor to mercury (Hg) pollution because of the potential presence of mercury in thermometers, blood pressure cuffs, amalgams, etc. There are also other potential sources of mercury in this sector which are used frequently and in high volumes where the presence of the metal is not obvious and which might be collectively contributing to pollution. For instance, some chemicals used for the clinical diagnosis of illness may contain mercury. The goal of this study was to investigate potential sources of mercury pollution, which originate from clinical laboratory discharges, using an exploratory approach. The focus was on the residue generated during automatic analysis of patients' bodily fluids at a medical center in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. This study shows an overview of what might be happening in the region or the country related to non-obvious sources of mercury in the healthcare sector. The results showed measurable levels of mercury in the residues coming from urine sediment analysis. These amounts do not exceed the maximum allowed by Mexican environmental regulations; nevertheless, the frequency and cumulative volume of residues generated, combined with the potential for persistence and the bioaccumulation of mercury in the environment, warrant attention. The work carried out in this study is being taken as a model for future studies for pollution prevention in the healthcare sector with the goal of measuring mercury emissions to the environment from clinical laboratory wastewater, including identifying sources which--while not obvious--could be important given the frequency and volume of their use in the clinical diagnosis.