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The removal of four Contaminants of Emerging Concern, namely bisphenol A, sulfamethoxazole, diclofenac and benzotriazole; two odorous compounds, geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol, frequently detected in recirculating aquaculture systems; and Hg(II) was investigated using ZnO-based materials doped or co-doped with Ce and Cu under simulated solar radiation. Photocatalysts were synthetized via a hydrothermal route and their efficiency was assessed by changing some operational parameters in different water matrices of increasing complexity. The mixture of contaminants was successfully degraded in just 1 h, while the complete mineralization was achieved in a few hours; experiments performed in an actual aquaculture water confirmed the efficiency and broad versatility of the synthesized materials.
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In this study, new photocurable biobased hydrogels deriving from chitosan and gelatin are designed and tested as sorbents for As(V) and Pb(II) removal from water. Those renewable materials were modified by a simple methacrylation reaction in order to make them light processable. The success of the reaction was evaluated by both 1H-NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. The reactivity of those formulations was subsequently investigated by a real-time photorheology test. The obtained hydrogels showed high swelling capability reaching up to 1200% in the case of methacrylated gelatin (GelMA). Subsequently, the Z-potential of the methacrylated chitosan (MCH) and GelMA was measured to correlate their electrostatic surface characteristics with their adsorption properties for As(V) and Pb(II). The pH of the solutions proved to have a huge influence on the As(V) and Pb(II) adsorption capacity of the obtained hydrogels. Furthermore, the effect of As(V) and Pb(II) initial concentration and contact time on the adsorption capability of MCH and GelMA were investigated and discussed. The MCH and GelMA hydrogels demonstrated to be promising sorbents for the removal of heavy metals from polluted waters.
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Objective: To analyze the criteria for diagnosis and treatment decision-making in relation to dental caries in different participants (teachers of dentistry, dental students at dental schools, and dentists practicing at public oral health services) in the city of Medellin (Colombia). Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was applied in the period September 2015-december 2016 by means of an international validated questionnaire in 340 participants (dental teachers: 69, dental students: 193, dentists: 78). The survey addressed several topics related to detection and restorative threshold, preferences of preparation type, restorative materials used and opinions about diagnosis and treatment for dental caries. A descriptive analysis was carried out and Chi square tests were applied to observe statistically significant differences between the study variables.Results: 340 participants were surveyed among teachers who teach cariology, health care dentists, and undergraduate final-year students. Most participants were women (70%). The age mean was higher for DDSs (46 ± 9 years). On average, practicing dentists and dental teachers had a work experience of 21 ± 9 years. In case of treatment decisions, the majority of the surveyed would use immediate operative restorative treatment for advanced carious lesions (inner one-third of the dentin for approximal and grade 5 for occlusal). In addition, respondents reported different cavities diagnosis for clinical occlusal cases and some significant statistically differences were found for restorative treatment decisions and type of materials according to the type of participant. Conclusion: Criteria for diagnosis and treatment of dental caries differed among the student, dentist and dental teachers with variety in diagnosis and treatment concepts. However, a conservative tendency for restorative treatment decisions was observed. Strategies for incorporating non-restorative and minimal measures in professional practice should be considered in curricula of universities.
Objetivo: Analizar los criterios para la toma de decisiones diagnósticas y terapéuticas en relación a la caries dental en diferentes participantes (docentes, estudiantes de odontología de las facultades de odontología y odontólogos de los servicios públicos de salud bucal) de la ciudad de Medellín (Colombia). Material y Métodos: Se aplicó un estudio transversal en el período septiembre 2015 - diciembre 2016 mediante cuestionario internacional validado en 340 participantes (profesores de odontología: 69, estudiantes de odontología: 193, odontólogos: 78). La encuesta abordó varios temas relacionados con la detección y el umbral de restauración, las preferencias del tipo de preparación, los materiales de restauración utilizados y las opiniones sobre el diagnóstico y el tratamiento de la caries dental. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo y se aplicaron pruebas de Chi cuadrado para observar diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre las variables de estudio. Resultados: Se encuestó a 340 participantes entre profesores que imparten clases de cariología, odontólogos y estudiantes de último año de pregrado. La mayoría de los participantes eran mujeres (70%). La edad media fue mayor para los odontólogos (46 ± 9 años). En promedio, los odontólogos y los profesores de odontología tenían una experiencia laboral de 21 ± 9 años. En caso de decisiones de tratamiento, la mayoría de los encuestados utilizaría tratamiento restaurador quirúrgico inmediato para lesiones cariosas avanzadas (tercio interno de la dentina para proximal y grado 5 para oclusal). Además, los encuestados informaron diferentes diagnósticos de caries para los casos clínicos oclusales y se encontraron algunas diferencias estadísticamente significativas para las decisiones de tratamiento restaurativo y el tipo de materiales según el tipo de participante. Conclusion: Los criterios para el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la caries dental fueron diferentes entre los estudiantes, odontólogos y profesores de odontología con variedad en los conceptos de diagnóstico y tratamiento. Sin embargo, se observó una tendencia conservadora para las decisiones de tratamiento restaurativo. Las estrategias para incorporar medidas mínimas y no restaurativas en la práctica profesional deben ser consideradas en los planes de estudio de las universidades.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Dental Caries/diagnosis , Dental Caries/therapy , Clinical Decision-Making , Students, Dental , Cross-Sectional Studies , Surveys and Questionnaires , Dental Care , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Colombia , DentistsABSTRACT
Objectives: To evaluate effect of rectal ozone in severe COVID-19 pneumonia and to compare it to standard of care (SOC). Material and Methods: In a case-control study, 14 patients with severe bilateral COVID-19 pneumonia (positive RT-PCR), treated with SOC and rectal ozone, were evaluated before-and-after treatment and compared with SOC (14 patients) in a 10-day follow-up period. Ozone protocol consisted of 8 sessions (1 session/day) of intra-rectal ozone (150 mL volume, 35 µg/mL concentration [5.25mg total dose]). The SOC protocol included O2 supply, antivirals (Remdesivir), corticosteroids (Dexamethasone/Metilprednisolone), monoclonal antibodies (Anakinra/Tocilizumab), antibiotics (Azytromicine), and anticoagulants (Enoxaparine). Primary outcome variables were the following: (a) clinical (O2 saturation and O2 supply); (b) biochemical (lymphocyte count, fibrinogen, D-dimer, urea, ferritin, LDH, IL-6, and CRP); (c) radiological Taylor's scale. Secondary outcome variables were the following: (a) hospitalization length of stay, (b) mortality rate. Results: At baseline, ozone/SOC groups were not different on age, comorbidities, O2 saturation, and O2 supply. Patients in the ozone group improved O2 saturation and decrease O2 supply. SOC maintained O2 saturation and required more O2 supply. Lymphocyte count improved only in the ozone group and with statistical difference (p<0.05). Biomarkers of inflammation (fibrinogen, D-dimer, urea, LDH, CRP, and IL-6) decreased in both groups, but only significantly in favor of the ozone group (p<0.05). Ferritin showed a significant decrease in the ozone group but an increase on the SOC group. Radiological pneumonitis decreased on both groups but the decrease was only significant in the ozone group (p<0.0001). Mortality and length of stay, although not significant, were inferior in the ozone group. Conclusion: Compassionate use of rectal ozone improved O2 saturation, reduced O2 supply, decreased inflammation biomarkers, and improved Taylor's radiological scale significantly when compared to the SOC group. Mortality and length of stay were inferior in the ozone group, but this difference was not significant.
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The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of rectal ozone (O3) in COVID-19 patients with severe pneumonia admitted at Hospital Universitario Santa Cristina, Madrid. In a before-and-after study, four patients admitted with severe bilateral pneumonia due to COVID-19 were treated with rectal ozone and confirmed with (+) RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 and evaluated afterwards. The analyzed outcome variables were as follows: (a) clinical improvement (O2 saturation and O2 supply); (b) biochemical improvement (fibrinogen, D-dimer, urea, ferritin, LDH, IL-6, and CRP); (c) radiological improvement. The treatment protocol consisted of 5 sessions (1 session/day) of intra-rectal ozone, applied in a volume of 100 mL and a concentration of 35 µg/mL. The Protocol was previously approved by the Hospital's Health Care Ethics Committee (CEAS) (Report 15/4/2020) for compassionate use in the face of this exceptional pandemic situation, and prior informed consent was obtained from the patient/legal representative. The patients improved oxygen saturation, as observed by the lower number of desaturations and the lower supply of O2. Biomarkers of inflammation decreased (fibrinogen, D-dimer, urea, ferritin, LDH, IL-6, and CRP). Finally, the radiological signs of bilateral viral pneumonitis improved between 1 and 2 grades based on Taylor's radiological scale. Rectal ozone decreases O2 supply and improves O2 saturation, decreases inflammation biomarkers, and improves Taylor's radiological grade in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Rectal ozone is a safe, effective, cheap, and simple alternative capable of acting on the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and it is presented as an adjunctive therapeutic option to consider in the management of severe bilateral COVID-19 pneumonia.
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Here, the performances of two different catalysts, Ce-ZnO and TiO2 synthetized in our laboratories, were compared with the commercial TiO2-P25 for degradation of a mixture of seven emerging pollutants under UV irradiation. The investigation included monitoring pollutants abatement in Milli-Q water and in wastewater effluent and identifying their transformation products by HPLC-HRMS. Structural characterization of intermediates supported by data available from literature allowed elucidation of the transformation pathways occurring in the presence of all investigated catalysts in the wastewater effluent. Preliminary results showed a good removal efficacy for almost all examined contaminants, even in real water matrix (i.e. wastewater effluent). The type of matrix and catalyst affects the number and/or the abundance of transformation products, which suggests differences in their transformation routes.
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A rational optimization for the synthesis of galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) from lactose catalyzed by ß-galactosidase from Aspergillus aculeatus, included in the commercial product Pectinex Ultra SP-L, has been performed by using experimental design and surface response methodology. This accurate tool optimized empirical production of the most desired high-GOS (tri-GOS and tetra-GOS) up to 16.4% under the following reaction conditions: 59 °C, 4 U/mL free enzyme concentration, pH 6.5, 250 g/L initial lactose concentration, and 20 h of reaction. The statistical analysis revealed temperature and initial lactose concentration as critical parameters. The successful immobilization of the enzyme on a glyoxyl-functionalized porous silica support slightly increased the yield toward high-GOS (17.6%), especially tri-GOS yield (15.3%), under the optimized reaction conditions as compared to the free enzyme. Furthermore, the promotion of the transgalactosylation reaction toward tri-GOS production increased 1.5-fold the productivity of high-GOS as compared to the free enzyme.
Subject(s)
Aspergillus oryzae/enzymology , Enzymes, Immobilized/chemistry , Fungal Proteins/chemistry , Oligosaccharides/chemistry , beta-Galactosidase/chemistry , Biocatalysis , Fungal Proteins/metabolism , Galactose/metabolism , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , Kinetics , Lactose/metabolism , Oligosaccharides/metabolism , Silicon Dioxide/chemistry , Temperature , beta-Galactosidase/metabolismABSTRACT
TiO(2) catalysts of anatase, rutile and brookite phase were prepared at low temperature and tested for carrying out the photocatalytic partial oxidation of 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol to 4-methoxybenzaldehyde (p-anisaldehyde) in organic-free water suspensions. Traces of 4-methoxybenzoic acid and open-ring products were the only by-products present, CO(2) being the other main oxidation product. Rutile exhibited the highest yield to p-anisaldehyde (62% mol) at a rate of the same order of magnitude of that showed by the other samples. Commercial rutile and anatase photocatalysts were also used for the sake of comparison. The samples have been characterised by an in situ ATR-FTIR investigation carried out in conditions simulating the photoreaction ones.
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Peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) is a potent oxidant formed by the nonenzymatic reaction between superoxide anion (O(2)(*-)) and nitric oxide (NO*) in a one-to-one stoichiometry. Accumulated evidence suggests that endothelial dysfunction coincides with an enhanced NO* synthase expression and O(2)(*-) production, facilitating ONOO(-) formation. In vivo, formation of ONOO(-) has been associated with atherosclerosis and vascular aging. The immunosuppressor Cyclosporine A (CsA) has been associated to human endothelial dysfunction and accelerated atherosclerosis. We have previously shown that CsA induced a transcriptionally mediated increase of the eNOS gene expression and that CsA induced the formation of nitric oxide, O(2)(*-), and ONOO(-) in vascular endothelial cells. In this work, we evaluate the CsA-induced relative amounts of formation of O(2)(*-) and NO*, providing data consistent with a role of O(2)(*-), and not NO*, as the limiting factor in the CsA-dependent intracellular formation of ONOO(-) in vascular endothelial cells. Furthermore, when endothelial cells were treated with CsA in a situation of increased generation of superoxide such as that provided by high glucose levels, a further increase in the formation of peroxynitrite was detected. The temporal availability of O(2)(*-) for peroxynitrite formation may thus become critical in the pathophysiological scenarios where reactive nitrogen intermediates are operative.
