Investigation of Presumptive HIV Transmission Associated with Receipt of Platelet-Rich Plasma Microneedling Facials at a Spa Among Former Spa Clients - New Mexico, 2018-2023.

HIV transmitted through cosmetic injection services via contaminated blood has not been previously documented. During summer 2018, the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) was notified of a diagnosis of HIV infection in a woman with no known HIV risk factors who reported exposure to needles from cosmetic platelet-rich plasma microneedling facials (vampire facials) received at a spa in spring 2018. An investigation of the spa's services began in summer 2018, and NMDOH and CDC identified four former spa clients, and one sexual partner of a spa client, all of whom received HIV infection diagnoses during 2018-2023, despite low reported behavioral risks associated with HIV acquisition. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed highly similar HIV strains among all cases. Although transmission of HIV via unsterile injection practices is a known risk, determining novel routes of HIV transmission among persons with no known HIV risk factors is important. This investigation identified an HIV cluster associated with receipt of cosmetic injection services at an unlicensed facility that did not follow recommended infection control procedures or maintain client records. Requiring adequate infection control practices and maintenance of client records at spa facilities offering cosmetic injection services can help prevent the transmission of HIV and other bloodborne pathogens and ensure adequate traceback and notification in the event of adverse clinical outcomes, respectively.

Carnot, Stirling, and Ericsson stochastic heat engines: Efficiency at maximum power.

This work uses the low-dissipation strategy to obtain efficiency at maximum power from a stochastic heat engine performing Carnot-, Stirling- and Ericsson-like cycles at finite time. The heat engine consists of a colloidal particle trapped by optical tweezers, in contact with two thermal baths at different temperatures, namely hot (T_{h}) and cold (T_{c}). The particle dynamics is characterized by a Langevin equation with time-dependent control parameters bounded to a harmonic potential trap. In a low-dissipation approach, the equilibrium properties of the system are required, which in our case, can be calculated through a statelike equation for the mean value 〈x^{2}〉_{eq} coming from a macroscopic expression associated with the Langevin equation.

Optimization Criteria and Efficiency of a Thermoelectric Generator.

The efficiency of a thermoelectric generator model under maximum conditions is presented for two optimization criteria proposed under the context of finite-time thermodynamics, namely, the efficient power criterion and the Omega function, where this last function represents a trade-off between useful and lost energy. The results are compared with the performance of the device at maximum power output. A macroscopic thermoelectric generator (TEG) model with three possible sources of irreversibilities is considered: (i) the electric resistance R for the Joule heating, (ii) the thermal conductances Kh and Kc of the heat exchangers between the thermal baths and the TEG, and (iii) the internal thermal conductance K for heat leakage. In particular, two configurations of the macroscopic TEG are studied: the so-called exoreversible case and the endoreversible limit. It shows that for both TEG configurations, the efficiency at maximum Omega function is always greater than that obtained in conditions of maximum efficient power, and this in turn is greater than that of the maximum power regime.

The role of executive functions, social cognition and intelligence in predicting social adaptation of vulnerable populations.

This study sought to evaluate the roles of and interactions between cognitive processes that have been shown to exhibit impact from socioeconomic status (SES) and living conditions in predicting social adaptation (SA) in a population of adults living in socially vulnerable conditions. Participants included 226 people between the ages of 18 and 60 who have been living in vulnerable contexts throughout life in Santiago, Chile. Data was collected through a battery of psychological assessments. A structural equation model (SEM) was implemented to examine the interrelationships among cognitive and social variables. Results indicate a significant relationship between executive function (EF) and SA through both social cognition (SC) and intelligence. Theory of Mind (ToM), a component of SC, was shown to exhibit a significant relationship with affective empathy; interestingly, this was negatively related to SA. Moreover, fluid intelligence (FI) was found to exhibit a positive, indirect relationship with SA through crystallized intelligence (CI). Evaluation of these results in the context of research on the impacts of SES and vulnerable living conditions on psychological function may allow for the development of more effective clinical, political, and social interventions to support psychosocial health among socially vulnerable populations.

Cost avoided in drugs derived from theparticipation of patients in oncologyclinical trials

Introduction: Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally. About one in six deaths is due to this disease. The economic impact of cancer is increasing and has a high prevalence leading to high economic burden for the Health System mainly related to oncologic pharmacotherapies. The objective of this study is to calculate pharmaceutical expenditure savings as a consequence of patient’s involvement in Oncology Clinical Trials.Material and methods: Retrospective observational study. In order to determine savings in oncology drugs, cancer treatments of patients participating in oncology clinical trials in April 2018 in a tertiary hospital in Spain were analyzed. Taking into account that the sponsor of the clinical trial provides the study medication free of charge, the costs savings were calculated comparing with the cost that would have supposed to treat the patient if they would have been received was standard regime for the type of tumor under study in clinical practice.Results: The cost avoided in the 50 oncology clinical trials analyzed was 1,564,943.59 euros. The average avoided cost per OCT was 31,298.87 euros, and the average avoided cost per patient was 10,096.41 euros.Conclusions: The participation of patients in oncology clinical trials provides an important economic saving, since it reduces the costs in the acquisition of medicines when they are provided free of charge by the sponsor of the study. (AU)

Introducción: El cáncer es la segunda causa de muerte a nivel mundial. Aproximadamente una de cada seis muertes se debe a esta enfermedad. El cáncer es una enfermedad de alta incidencia y el impacto derivado de la atención a pacientes oncológicos supone una importante carga económica para el Sistema Sanitario. El objetivo de este trabajo es calcular el coste evitado en medicamentos derivado de la participación de pacientes en Ensayos Clínicos de Oncología.Material y métodos: Estudio observacional retrospectivo. Se realiza un corte de datos en abril de 2018, se seleccionan todos los EECC activos en oncología y se incluyen los pacientes que habían participado en los mismos independientemente de la fecha de inclusión.Para determinar el coste evitado se calculó la diferencia entre el coste del esquema de tratamiento que el paciente está recibiendo dentro del EC con aportación gratuita de los medicamentos en investigación, y el coste que supondría el esquema de tratamiento que hubiese recibido en el supuesto de no haber participado en dicho EC.Resultados: El coste evitado en los 50 EECC analizados fue de 1.564.943,59 euros. El coste evitado medio por EC fue de 31.298,87 euros, y el coste evitado medio por paciente fue de 10.096,41 euros.Conclusiones: La participación de pacientes en EECC de oncología proporciona un importante ahorro económico, ya que reduce los costos en la adquisición de medicamentos cuando son proporcionados gratuitamente por el promotor del estudio. (AU)

Ytrrium-90 transarterial radioembolization in patients with gastrointestinal malignancies

Transarterial radioembolization (TARE) with yttrium-90 (Y90) is a promising alternative strategy to treat liver tumors and liver metastasis from colorectal cancer (CRC), as it selectively delivers radioactive isotopes to the tumor via the hepatic artery, sparring surrounding liver tissue. The landscape of TARE indications is constantly evolving. This strategy is considered for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with liver-confined disease and preserved liver function in whom neither TACE nor systemic therapy is possible. In patients with liver metastases from CRC, TARE is advised when other chemotherapeutic options have failed. Recent phase III trials have not succeeded to prove benefit in overall survival; however, it has helped to better understand the patients that may benefit from TARE based on subgroup analysis. New strategies and treatment combinations are being investigated in ongoing clinical trials. The aim of this review is to summarize the clinical applications of TARE in patients with gastrointestinal malignancies.

Ytrrium-90 transarterial radioembolization in patients with gastrointestinal malignancies.

Transarterial radioembolization (TARE) with yttrium-90 (Y90) is a promising alternative strategy to treat liver tumors and liver metastasis from colorectal cancer (CRC), as it selectively delivers radioactive isotopes to the tumor via the hepatic artery, sparring surrounding liver tissue. The landscape of TARE indications is constantly evolving. This strategy is considered for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with liver-confined disease and preserved liver function in whom neither TACE nor systemic therapy is possible. In patients with liver metastases from CRC, TARE is advised when other chemotherapeutic options have failed. Recent phase III trials have not succeeded to prove benefit in overall survival; however, it has helped to better understand the patients that may benefit from TARE based on subgroup analysis. New strategies and treatment combinations are being investigated in ongoing clinical trials. The aim of this review is to summarize the clinical applications of TARE in patients with gastrointestinal malignancies.

Novel molecular targeted therapies for patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 with inoperable plexiform neurofibromas: a comprehensive review.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a genetic disorder that carries a higher risk of tumor development. Plexiform neurofibromas (PNs) are present in 50% of NF1 and cause significant morbidity when surgery is not feasible. Systemic therapies had not succeeded to reduce PN tumor volume until 2016 when the first trial with an MAPK/extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (MEK) inhibitor was published. We performed a systematic research on novel targeted therapies for patients with NF1 and PNs in PubMed, EMBASE, and conference abstracts with the last update in February 2021. Since 2016, seven trials have reported positive results with MEK inhibitors and other molecular targeted therapies (cabozantinib). Selumetinib has shown an overall response rate of 68% in children with NF1 and symptomatic inoperable PNs, and was associated with pain improvement and a manageable adverse events profile. This led to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of selumetinib in May 2020. Recently, cabozantinib and mirdametinib have also proven their efficacy in adult population. Other MEK inhibitors such as trametinib and binimetinib have also communicated promising preliminary results. Ongoing trials in different populations and with intermittent dosing strategies are underway.

Prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in advanced cancer patients receiving immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been extensively studied in cancer patients. However, the performance of NLR as an early marker of efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) is still understudied. We studied the utility of NLR at baseline (bNLR), before the second dose of immunotherapy (NLR2) and the NLR trend for predicting efficacy outcomes. METHODS: We included all patients with advanced cancer treated with ICI from June 2013 to April 2019 at La Paz University Hospital, Madrid (Spain). We examined bNLR, NLR2 and NLR trend and explored the association with progression-free survival (PFS) at 6 months, median PFS and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: We included 211 patients. PFS and OS were significantly longer in the low bNLR group than in the high bNLR group [HR 0.71 (95% CI 0.60-0.84) and HR: 0.66 (95% CI 0.55-0.79), respectively]. Regarding NLR2, patients with low NLR2 had significantly longer PFS and OS than patients with high NLR2 [HR 0.67 (95% CI 0.57-0.79) and HR: 0.60 (95% CI 0.50-0.72), respectively]. Finally, for NLR trend, PFS and OS for patients with NLR trend < 1 were significantly longer than those patients with NLR trend ≥ 1 [HR 0.59 (95% CI 0.43-0.82) and HR 0.63 (95% CI 0.44-0.90), respectively]. At the multivariate analysis for PFS and OS, bNLR, NLR2 and NLR trend were all independent prognostic factors for PFS and OS. CONCLUSIONS: bNLR, NLR2 and NLR trends are independent prognostic factors for survival in patients on immunotherapy. The dynamics of NLR in patients on immunotherapy is a promising marker that needs further investigation.

Efficacy of capecitabine when used concomitantly with proton pump inhibitors in cancer patients: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Capectiabine is an oral antineoplastic drug used in multiple malignancies. Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) have been proven to interact with other oral antineoplastic agents. In this systematic review we will summarize the clinical evidence on the efficacy of capecitabine when used concomitantly with PPI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a systematic literature search on the main databases up to November 2019. RESULTS: Nine studies met our inclusion criteria: 8 retrospective studies and 1 phase II clinical trial. Patients with colorectal, breast and gastroesophageal were represented. Four out of the 9 studies reported a shorter efficacy outcome in uni- or multivariate analysis when capecitabine was taken concomitantly with PPI than alone. CONCLUSIONS: Up to date, the clinical evidence reported on the use of capecitabine concomitantly with PPI is scarce and shows conflicting results. While awaiting further data, avoiding misuse of PPI in cancer patients taking capecitabine is recommended.

Carcinoma de células de Merkel: diagnóstico y tratamiento en atención especializada dermatológica. Guía de práctica clínica de la Academia Española de Dermatología y Venerología / Diagnosis and Treatment of Merkel Cell Carcinoma in Specialized Dermatology Units: A Clinical Practice Guideline of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology

Antecedentes y objetivo: El carcinoma de células de Merkel es un tipo de cáncer de piel infrecuente y agresivo. Hay una gran variación en su manejo y las diferentes guías extranjeras que existen cubren parcialmente los problemas identificados como principales. El objetivo de la presente guía es servir de referencia a los dermatólogos españoles para mejorar aspectos controvertidos del diagnóstico, estadificación y tratamiento del carcinoma de células de Merkel. Materiales y métodos: Se empleó el método ADAPTE: se escogió a miembros del Grupo Español de Dermato-Oncología y Cirugía (GEDOC) con experiencia en el tratamiento de estos tumores y con interés en participar en la elaboración de la guía. Tras resumir el proceso de atención y elaborar las preguntas clínicas relevantes, se hizo una búsqueda de guías, que se seleccionaron según su puntuación mediante el instrumento Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II). Tras la búsqueda de las respuestas en dichas guías, se elaboraron posteriormente las recomendaciones. Por último, se sometió la guía a revisión externa. Resultados: Las guías con mejor puntuación fueron las de National Comprehensive Cancer Network, la European consensus-based interdisciplinary guideline, Alberta Healthservices Clinical practice guideline, American Cancer Society y Cutaneous Oncology Group of the French Society of Dermatology. Se obtuvieron en total 9 preguntas clínicas, contestadas a partir de estas guías. Conclusiones: Esta guía responde a preguntas habituales en la práctica clínica diaria y sirve a los dermatólogos como referencia en la toma de decisiones, siempre teniendo presentes los recursos y preferencias del paciente

Background and objective: Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare, aggressive skin cancer that is managed in a great variety of ways. However, international clinical practice guidelines give only partial coverage to issues considered major problems.The recommendations presented here aim to provide Spanish dermatologists with a guide to improving disputed aspects of diagnosis, staging, and treatment of localized Merkel cell carcinomas. Material and methods: The ADAPTE process was used. Members of the Spanish Group of Oncologic Dermatology and Surgery (GEDOC) with experience in treating Merkel cell carcinoma and interest in drafting these guidelines were selected. The group described the care process and listed the most important clinical questions. They then searched for guidelines and assessed them with the AGREE II (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation) tool. After consulting the guidelines for answers to their clinical questions, the group drafted the present statementand sent it for external review. Results: The guidelines that scored highest in the AGREE II assessment step were the consensus-based interdisciplinary guideline of the European Association of Dermato-Oncology and the European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer, and those of the Comprehensive Cancer Network, the Alberta Health Services in Canada, the American Cancer Society, and the Cutaneous Oncology Group of the French Society of Dermatology. A total of 9 clinical questions were answered based on these guidelines. Conclusions: The guidelines presented here answer clinical questions that arise in routine practice. They can provide dermatologists with a starting point for decision-making, although available resources and patient preferences must always be borne in mind

Effect of parasitism of Lernaea cyprinacea on tadpoles of the invasive species Lithobates catesbeianus.

The introduction of invasive species is one of the greatest threats currently faced by natural ecosystems, causing ecological imbalances between native populations and transmission of a variety of diseases. We reported the interaction between two exotic species given by the parasitic infestation of the copepod Lernaea cyprinacea in the early stages of the development of the American bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus in the central area of Argentina. In this paper we analysed the leukocyte profile of parasitized and non-parasitized tadpoles of L. catesbeianus with L. cyprinacea and their body condition (BC) as biomarkers of the health status of organisms. A total of 27 tadpoles of L. catesbeianus were analysed (12 non-parasitized and 15 parasitized). The lower BC recorded in parasitized organisms show a lower health status in these tadpoles, which could be affecting the metamorphosis and therefore impact at the population level. Leukocyte response of L. catesbeianus tadpoles to the parasitism of L. cyprinacea was found. Mature and immature lymphocyte frequencies and hematocrit were higher in parasitized compared to non-parasitized tadpoles, which is a typical response to the presence of parasites. However, eosinophils and monocytes were recorded at high frequencies in not parasitized tadpoles, which could be due to the important role played by these leucocytes in the metamorphosis of frogs. The results of this study constitute a first antecedent on leukocyte profile in aquatic stages of anurans during an ectoparasitosis and its possible implications for environmental health. The parasitism of L. cyprinacea influences the biology of the American bullfrog at both the individual and population levels. Parasitized individuals are not killed directly by the parasite, but they can create conditions for secondary infections, growth retardation, behavioral changes and, ultimately, reduce populations.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Merkel Cell Carcinoma in Specialized Dermatology Units: A Clinical Practice Guideline of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. / Carcinoma de células de Merkel: diagnóstico y tratamiento en atención especializada dermatológica. Guía de práctica clínica de la Academia Española de Dermatología y Venerología.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare, aggressive skin cancer that is managed in a great variety of ways. However, international clinical practice guidelines give only partial coverage to issues considered major problems.The recommendations presented here aim to provide Spanish dermatologists with a guide to improving disputed aspects of diagnosis, staging, and treatment of localized Merkel cell carcinomas. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The ADAPTE process was used. Members of the Spanish Group of Oncologic Dermatology and Surgery (GEDOC) with experience in treating Merkel cell carcinoma and interest in drafting these guidelines were selected. The group described the care process and listed the most important clinical questions. They then searched for guidelines and assessed them with the AGREE II (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation) tool. After consulting the guidelines for answers to their clinical questions, the group drafted the present statementand sent it for external review. RESULTS: The guidelines that scored highest in the AGREE II assessment step were the consensus-based interdisciplinary guideline of the European Association of Dermato-Oncology and the European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer, and those of the Comprehensive Cancer Network, the Alberta Health Services in Canada, the American Cancer Society, and the Cutaneous Oncology Group of the French Society of Dermatology. A total of 9 clinical questions were answered based on these guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: The guidelines presented here answer clinical questions that arise in routine practice. They can provide dermatologists with a starting point for decision-making, although available resources and patient preferences must always be borne in mind.

Reline aqueous solutions behaving as liquid mixtures of H-bonded co-solvents: microphase segregation and formation of co-continuous structures as indicated by Brillouin and 1H NMR spectroscopies.

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) offer a suitable alternative to conventional solvents in terms of both performance and cost-effectiveness. Some DESs also offer certain green features, the greenness of which is notoriously enhanced when combined with water. Aqueous DES dilutions are therefore attracting great attention as a novel green medium for biotechnological processes, with the aqueous dilutions of reline - a DES composed of urea and choline chloride - being one of the most studied systems. Despite their macroscopic homogeneous appearance, both 1H NMR spectroscopic studies and molecular dynamics simulations have revealed the occurrence of certain dynamic heterogeneity at a microscopic molecular level. Ultrasonic measurements were also used with the aim of getting further insights but nonconclusive results were obtained. Herein, we have studied aqueous reline dilutions by Brillouin spectroscopy given its proved suitability for detecting local structure rearrangements in liquid mixtures of H-bonded co-solvents. Brillouin spectroscopy revealed the formation of a co-continuous structure resulting from local structure rearrangements and micro-segregation into aqueous and DES phases. Interestingly, there is agreement between 1H NMR and Brillouin spectroscopy when pointing to the DES content where microphase segregation and formation of co-continuous structures occurred.

Is it possible to prevent recurrent vulvovaginitis? The role of Lactobacillus plantarum I1001 (CECT7504).

The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the impact of the use of L. plantarum I1001 applied vaginally on Vulvovaginal Candidiasis (VVC) time-until-recurrence after treatment with single-dose vaginal clotrimazole. This was a clinical open-label, prospective study of two non-randomized parallel cohorts with symptomatic acute VVC: (1) 33 sexually active women 18-50 years old, prescribed a standard single-dose 500 mg vaginal tablet of clotrimazole followed by vaginal tablets with L. plantarum I1001 as adjuvant therapy, and (2) 22 women of similar characteristics but prescribed single-dose clotrimazole only. Use of the probiotic and factors that might influence recurrence risk (age, recurrent VVC within previous year, antibiotic prior to study enrolment, diaphragm or IUD contraception, among others) were included in a multivariate Cox regression model to adjust for potential between-cohort differences. Probiotic use was associated with a three-fold reduction in the adjusted risk of recurrence (HR [95 %CI]: 0.30 [0.10-0.91]; P = 0.033). Adjusted free-survival recurrence was 72.83 % and 34.88 % for the probiotic and control groups, respectively. A higher cumulative recurrence was also observed in cases with use of antibiotics prior to enrolment (HR [95 %CI]: 10.46 [2.18-50.12]; P = 0.003). Similar findings were found at six months after azole treatment in women with RVVC. Overall, good compliance with the probiotic was reported for 91.3 % of women. The study suggests that follow-up therapy with vaginal tablets with L. plantarum I1001 could increase the effectiveness of single-dose 500 mg clotrimazole at preventing recurrence of VVC, an effect that was also observed in women with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) after six months of azole treatment.

Clinical guideline SEOM: hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Surveillance with abdominal ultrasound every 6 months should be offered to patients with a high risk of developing HCC: Child-Pugh A-B cirrhotic patients, all cirrhotic patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation, high-risk HBV chronic hepatitis patients (higher viral load, viral genotype or Asian or African ancestry) and patients with chronic hepatitis C and bridging fibrosis. Accurate diagnosis, staging and functional hepatic reserve are crucial for the optimal therapeutic approach. Characteristic findings on dynamic CT/MR of arterial hyperenhancement with "washout" in the portal venous or delayed phase are highly specific and sensitive for a diagnosis of HCC in patients with previous cirrhosis, but a confirmed histopathologic diagnosis should be done in patients without previous evidence of chronic hepatic disease. BCLC classification is the most common staging system used in Western countries. Surgical procedures, local therapies and systemic treatments should be discussed and planned for each patient by a multidisciplinary team according to the stage, performance status, liver function and comorbidities. Surgical interventions remain as the only curative procedures but both local and systemic approaches may increase survival and should be offered to patients without contraindications (AU)

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Clinical guideline SEOM: hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Surveillance with abdominal ultrasound every 6 months should be offered to patients with a high risk of developing HCC: Child-Pugh A-B cirrhotic patients, all cirrhotic patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation, high-risk HBV chronic hepatitis patients (higher viral load, viral genotype or Asian or African ancestry) and patients with chronic hepatitis C and bridging fibrosis. Accurate diagnosis, staging and functional hepatic reserve are crucial for the optimal therapeutic approach. Characteristic findings on dynamic CT/MR of arterial hyperenhancement with "washout" in the portal venous or delayed phase are highly specific and sensitive for a diagnosis of HCC in patients with previous cirrhosis, but a confirmed histopathologic diagnosis should be done in patients without previous evidence of chronic hepatic disease. BCLC classification is the most common staging system used in Western countries. Surgical procedures, local therapies and systemic treatments should be discussed and planned for each patient by a multidisciplinary team according to the stage, performance status, liver function and comorbidities. Surgical interventions remain as the only curative procedures but both local and systemic approaches may increase survival and should be offered to patients without contraindications.

Use of eutectic mixtures for preparation of monolithic carbons with CO2-adsorption and gas-separation capabilities.

With global warming becoming one of the main problems our society is facing nowadays, there is an urgent demand to develop materials suitable for CO2 storage as well as for gas separation. Within this context, hierarchical porous structures are of great interest for in-flow applications because of the desirable combination of an extensive internal reactive surface along narrow nanopores with facile molecular transport through broad "highways" leading to and from these pores. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have been recently used in the synthesis of carbon monoliths exhibiting a bicontinuous porous structure composed of continuous macroporous channels and a continuous carbon network that contains a certain microporosity and provides considerable surface area. In this work, we have prepared two DESs for the preparation of two hierarchical carbon monoliths with different compositions (e.g., either nitrogen-doped or not) and structure. It is worth noting that DESs played a capital role in the synthesis of hierarchical carbon monoliths not only promoting the spinodal decomposition that governs the formation of the bicontinuous porous structure but also providing the precursors required to tailor the composition and the molecular sieve structure of the resulting carbons. We have studied the performance of these two carbons for CO2, N2, and CH4 adsorption in both monolithic and powdered form. We have also studied the selective adsorption of CO2 versus CH4 in equilibrium and dynamic conditions. We found that these materials combined a high CO2-sorption capacity besides an excellent CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4 selectivity and, interestingly, this performance was preserved when processed in both monolithic and powdered form.

Comparison of mathematical models applied to f1 dairy sheep lactations in organic farm and environmental factors affecting lactation curve parameter.

THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO COMPARE THE GOODNESS OF FIT OF FOUR LACTATION CURVE MODELS: Wood's Gamma model (WD), Wilmink (WL), and Pollott's multiplicative two (POL2) and three parameters (POL3) and to determine the environmental factors affecting the complete lactation curve of F1 dairy sheep under organic management. A total of 5,382 weekly milk yields records from 150 ewes, under organic management were used. Residual mean square (RMS), determination coefficients (R(2)), and correlation (r) analysis were used as an indicator of goodness of fit for each model. WL model best fitted the lactation curves as indicated by the lower RMS values (0.019), followed by WD (0.023), POL2 (0.025) and POL3 (0.029). The four models provided total milk yield (TMY) estimations that were highly correlated (0.93 to 0.97) with observed TMY (89.9 kg). The four models under estimated peak yield (PY), whereas POL2 and POL3 gave nearer peak time lactation estimations. Ewes lambing in autumn had higher TMY and showed a typical curve shape. Higher TMY were recorded in second and third lambing. Season of lambing, number of lambing and type of lambing had a great influenced over TMY shaping the complete lactation curve of F1 dairy sheep. In general terms WL model showed the best fit to the F1 dairy sheep lactation curve under organic management.

Vertebral body cage use in thoracolumbar fractures: outcomes in a prospective series of 23 cases at 2 years' follow-up.

INTRODUCTION: One objective of surgery in thoracolumbar spine fracture is to restore correct and lasting spinal statics. This may involve vertebral body replacement using an anterior approach. We here report results on a prospective series of 23 trauma patients managed by vertebral body replacement using an expandable cage. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The sex ratio was 2.28. Fifteen cases involved primary treatment of recent fracture and eight secondary surgery for non-union or malunion. In 12 cases, posterior osteosynthesis was associated. Six patients were operated on using a classical approach and 17 using a video-assisted minimally invasive approach. Pre- and perioperative data were recorded, with clinical scores (VAS and Oswestry) at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year and 2 years. Radiologic follow-up assessed regional traumatic kyphosis (RTK), enabling calculation of regional traumatic angulation (RTA), with control CT to check fusion. RESULTS: Minimum follow-up was 2 years. There were no cases of postoperative neurological deterioration. There were three major postoperative complications: one hemothorax, one adhesive bowel occlusion, and one bilateral pneumothorax at 1 month. Mean Oswestry score at 6 months was 20%, and mean VAS score at 2 years was 0.36. Postoperative RTA showed a mean 7.34° improvement. Mean RTA reduction loss was 1.95° at 3 months, subsequently unchanged. All arthrodeses showed fusion at 6 months. CONCLUSION: Results were satisfactory with this technique, comparable to those reported in the literature. The development of minimally invasive approaches and improved instrumentation procedures optimize surgery and enhance anterior reconstruction tolerance. Lasting restoration of sagittal spinal curvature improves trauma patients' functional recovery.