Renal health: Evaluation of the spontaneous use of a new m-health technology and validation of its content to support patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic kidney disease is a worldwide public health problem, with a high prevalence of patients on dialysis. mHealth technologies can greatly support the treatment and monitoring of these patients. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the spontaneous use of the application (app) Renal Health, a previously available technology, for patients on hemodialysis and validate content to support patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis. METHODS: The first stage consisted of evaluating the spontaneous use of the app, and the second stage consisted of methodological research for the development, evaluation, and improvement of a technological instrument for use in clinical practice as a support for patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). The association between categorical variables was performed using the chi-square test, adopting a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: The app was accessed by 753 users and of these, 34 % accessed the hemodialysis section. Most accesses were in the state of São Paulo/Brazil and performed by women. The records of biochemical tests did not vary according to gender and age group (p > 0.05). The developed and validated PD section enables section control, allowing the user to manage their sessions. The analysis of the technology by the specialists showed good results for the global content validity index (CVI) regarding objectives (CVI = 0.95), structure (CVI = 0.97), and relevance (CVI = 1.0). CONCLUSION: It is concluded that the hemodialysis section of the Renal Health app aroused the interest of the population and that the developed peritoneal dialysis section was validated by specialists.

Hepatotoxicity during TB treatment in people with HIV/AIDS related to NAT2 polymorphisms in Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Hepatotoxicity during tuberculosis (TB) treatment is frequent and may be related to the Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase (NAT2) acetylator profile, in which allele frequencies differ according to the population. The aim of this study was to investigate functional polymorphisms in NAT2 associated with the development of hepatotoxicity after initiating treatment for TB in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study that investigated seven single nucleotide polymorphisms located in the NAT2 coding region in 173 PLWHA undergoing TB treatment. Hepatotoxicity was defined as elevated aminotransferase levels and identified as being three times higher than it was before initiating TB treatment, with associated symptoms of hepatitis. A further 80 healthy subjects, without HIV infection or TB were used as a control group. All individuals were genotyped by direct sequencing. RESULTS: The NAT2*13A and NAT2*6B variant alleles were significantly associated with the development of hepatotoxicity during TB treatment in PLWHA (p<0.05). Individual comparisons between the wild type and each variant genotype revealed that PLWHA with signatures NAT2*13A/NAT2*13A (OR 4.4; CI95% 1.1-18.8; p 0.037) and NAT2*13A/NAT2*6B (OR 4.4; CI95% 1.5-12.7; p 0.005) significantly increased the risk of hepatotoxicity. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that NAT2*13A and NAT2*6B variant alleles are risk factors for developing hepatotoxicity, and PLWHA with genotypes NAT2*13A/NAT2*13A and NAT2*13A/NAT2*6B should be targeted for specific care to reduce the risk of hepatotoxicity during treatment for tuberculosis.

Electronic structure modifications induced by increased molecular complexity: from triphenylamine to m-MTDATA.

The starburst π-conjugated molecule 4,4',4''-tris(N-3-methylphenyl-N-phenyl-amino)triphenylamine (C57H48N4, m-MTDATA), based on triphenylamine (TPA) building blocks, is widely used in optoelectronic devices due to its good electron-donor characteristics. The electronic structure of m-MTDATA was investigated for the first time in the gas phase by means of PhotoElectron Spectroscopy (PES) and Near Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. The combination of Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations with the experimental spectra provides a comprehensive description of the molecular electronic structure. Moreover, by comparing the results with previous TPA measurements, we could shed light on how the electronic structure evolves when the molecular size is increased. We found that the C 1s photoelectron spectra of m-MTDATA and TPA are similar, due to the balance of the counter-acting effects of the electronegativity of the N atoms and the delocalization of the amine lone-pair electrons. In contrast, the increased number of N atoms (i.e. N lone pairs) in m-MTDATA determines a three-peak feature in the outermost valence binding energy region with strong contributions by the N 2pz orbitals. We also obtained a decrease of the HOMO-LUMO gap for m-MTDATA, which points to improved electron donating properties of m-MTDATA with respect to TPA.

Electronic structure investigation of biphenylene films.

Photoelectron Spectroscopy (PS) and Near-Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy have been used to investigate the occupied and empty density of states of biphenylene films of different thicknesses, deposited onto a Cu(111) crystal. The obtained results have been compared to previous gas phase spectra and single molecule Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to get insights into the possible modification of the molecular electronic structure in the film induced by the adsorption on a surface. Furthermore, NEXAFS measurements allowed characterizing the variation of the molecular arrangement with the film thickness and helped to clarify the substrate-molecule interaction.

Screening of dioxin-like compounds by complementary evaluation strategy utilising ELISA, micro-EROD, and HRGC-HRMS in soil and sediments from Montevideo, Uruguay.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and dibenzofurans (PCDF) are persistent, toxic, and bioaccumulate in the environment. Due to their high analytical costs, these compounds are hardly regulated and mostly not monitored in the Third World. To overcome this, bioassays have been proposed as low-cost alternative methods. Two of the most established bioanalytical tools, the dioxin antibody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ELISA and the micro-EROD bioassay are evaluated and compared to high resolution gas chromatography and high resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS) analytical methodology. The methods were tested using thirteen soils and sediment samples selected from diverse sites in Montevideo, Uruguay. The WHO2005 total toxic equivalent (WHO2005-TEQ) of soils ranged from 2.4 to 2212 (ng WHO2005-TEQ/kg dry sample) and from 0.14 to 9.4 (ng WHO2005-TEQ/kg dry sample) in sediments. This study shows significant contamination related to dioxin-like compounds, particularly in sites where uncontrolled burnings were carried out. ELISA and micro-EROD bioassay correlated well with HRGC/HRMS, R Spearman 0.773 and 0.913, respectively and were highly correlated to each other, R Spearman 0.879. Preliminary threshold values of bioassay toxic equivalents of 330 (ng/kg dry sample) for the micro-EROD bioassay and 220 (ng/kg dry sample) for ELISA are proposed.

Experimental and theoretical study of electronic structure of lutetium bi-phthalocyanine.

Using Near Edge X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) Spectroscopy, the thickness dependent formation of Lutetium Phthalocyanine (LuPc2) films on a stepped passivated Si(100)2×1 reconstructed surface was studied. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were employed to gain detailed insights into the electronic structure. Photoelectron spectroscopy measurements have not revealed any noticeable interaction of LuPc2 with the H-passivated Si surface. The presented study can be considered to give a comprehensive description of the LuPc2 molecular electronic structure. The DFT calculations reveal the interaction of the two molecular rings with each other and with the metallic center forming new kinds of orbitals in between the phthalocyanine rings, which allows to better understand the experimentally obtained NEXAFS results.

Potassium-intercalated H2Pc films: alkali-induced electronic and geometrical modifications.

X-ray spectroscopy studies of potassium intercalated metal-free phthalocyanine multilayers adsorbed on Al(110) have been undertaken. Photoelectron spectroscopy measurements show the presence of several charge states of the molecules upon K intercalation, due to a charge transfer from the alkali. In addition, the comparison of valence band photoemission spectra with the density functional theory calculations of the density of states of the H(2)Pc(-) anion indicates a filling of the formerly lowest unoccupied molecular orbital by charge transfer from the alkali. This is further confirmed by x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) studies, which show a decreased density of unoccupied states. XAS measurements in different experimental geometries reveal that the molecules in the pristine film are standing upright on the surface or are only slightly tilted away from the surface normal but upon K intercalation, the molecular orientation is changed in that the tilt angle of the molecules increases.

Electronic structure of a vapor-deposited metal-free phthalocyanine thin film.

The electronic structure of a vapor-sublimated thin film of metal-free phthalocyanine (H2Pc) is studied experimentally and theoretically. An atom-specific picture of the occupied and unoccupied electronic states is obtained using x-ray-absorption spectroscopy (XAS), core- and valence-level x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. The DFT calculations allow for an identification of the contributions from individual nitrogen atoms to the experimental N1s XAS and valence XPS spectra. This comprehensive study of metal-free phthalocyanine is relevant for the application of such molecules in molecular electronics and provides a solid foundation for identifying modifications in the electronic structure induced by various substituent groups.

Conformation dependence of electronic structures of poly(ethylene oxide).

The electronic structure of pure poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) for four different polymeric chain conformations has been studied by Hartree-Fock (HF) and density functional theory (DFT) through the analysis of their valence band photoelectron spectroscopy (VB-PES), X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES), and resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS). It is shown that the valence band of PEO presents specific conformation dependence, which can be used as a fingerprint of the polymeric structures. The calculated spectra have been compared with experimental results for PEO powder.

Ultrafast molecular dissociation of water in ice.

Using x-ray emission and photoemission spectroscopies to measure the occupied valence levels in a thin crystalline ice film, we resolve the ionization-induced dissociation of water in ice on a femtosecond time scale. Isotope substitution confirms proton transfer during the core-hole lifetime in spite of the nonresonant excitation. Through ab initio molecular dynamics on the core-ionized state, the dissociation and spectrum evolution are followed at femtosecond intervals. The theoretical simulations confirm the experimental analysis and allow for a detailed study of the dissociative reaction path.

Structure and bonding of water on Pt(111).

We address the adsorption of water on Pt(111) using x-ray absorption, x-ray emission, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy along with calculations in the framework of density functional theory. Using the direct relationship between the electronic structure and adsorbate geometry, we show that in the first layer all the molecules bind directly to the surface and to each other through the in-layer H bonds without dissociation, creating a nearly flat overlayer. The water molecules are adsorbed through alternating metal-oxygen (M-O) and metal-hydrogen (M-HO) bonds.

Magnetic X-ray circular dichroism on in situ grown 3d magnetic thin films on surfaces.

Epitaxic thin and ultrathin films on surfaces allow crystallographic phases that do not occur naturally in the bulk to be stabilized. They also offer new possibilities for an improved understanding of soft X-ray photoabsorption in magnetic systems. Data collected using the Elliptically Polarizing Undulator at BL 5.2 of the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory are presented herein. Fe, Co and Ni films were prepared on Cu(100) surfaces. L2,3-edge spectra were recorded with circular and linear light. Fresnel diffractometry was used to quantify the degree of transverse beam coherence. A quantitative analysis of the spectral features indicates a correlation of the spectral intensities and the transverse beam coherence. Resonant reflectivity spectra for Co ultrathin films that exhibit strong dichroism are presented. The reflectivity data indicate that interference effects of the reflected beams at the two interfaces are of importance, even for ultrathin films.

Quantitative analysis of L-edge white line intensities: the influence of saturation and transverse coherence.

We have performed x-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Fe, Ni, and Co L2,3 edges of in situ grown thin magnetic films. We compare electron yield measurements performed at SSRL and BESSY-I. Differences in the L2,3 white line intensities are found for all three elements, comparing data from the two facilities. We propose a correlation between spectral intensities and the degree of spatial coherence of the exciting radiation. The electron yield saturation effects are stronger for light with a higher degree of spatial coherence. Therefore the observed, coherence related, intensity variations are due to an increase in the absorption coefficient, and not to secondary channel related effects.

Chromatographic methods for amylases.

This review surveys recent developments in chromatographic methods for the separation of amylases from complex extracts, including the separation of isozymes. It contains two tables with the properties and molecular characteristics of alpha-and beta-amylases from different sources as well as an updated review of methods for the determination of amylase activity. The main subject of this review is a detailed evaluation of the application of newly developed chromatographic methods for the purification of amylases.

Immobilization of beta-galactosidase on metal-chelate-substituted gels.

The use of copper, zinc, iron, nickel and calcium in three different chelating gels was investigated for preparing immobilized beta-galactosidase. The chelated ligands [Cu(2+)-iminodiacetate (IDA), Cu(2+)-Tris(carboxymethyl)ethylenediamine (TED), Ni(2+)-IDA and Fe(3+)-IDA] absorbed the protein so strongly that it can be considered a true immobilization. The obtained enzyme derivatives were investigated with regard to activity and stability. Enzymic activity was highly preserved in general for the TED derivates (90% when compared with that for Cu(2+)-TED). The immobilized Ni2+ derivatives were more stable to high temperature and to storage than the Cu2+ derivatives. Temperature-stability of the immobilized enzyme was very much improved by adding a strong metal-chelating gel such as carboxymethylated tetraethylenepentamine-agarose. The gel could be re-used and reloaded after elution with chelator. beta-Galactosidase from Escherichia coli was purified using immobilized-metal-ion-chelate chromatography (i.m.a.c.). The potential use of beta-galactosidase immobilized on i.m.a.c. gels for technical purposes is discussed.

Selective adsorption of immunoglobulins and glucosylated proteins on phenylboronate-agarose.

Aminophenylboronate-substituted agarose in 20 mM N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulphonic acid, pH 8.5, selectively adsorbs immunoglobulins and complement factors C3 and C4 from human serum. The selectivity of binding is strongly influenced by the presence of magnesium chloride in the sample buffer. Adsorbed immunoglobulins are quantitatively eluted by sorbitol, but only partially by ethylene glycol or methylcellosolve. Aniline-agarose of a similar degree of substitution shows only weak adsorption of serum proteins under similar experimental conditions, thus indicating the important contribution of the boronate moiety to this interaction. Immunoglobulin adsorption seems not to be due to the cis-diol complexation used extensively for the chromatographic determination of non-enzymatically glucosylated proteins. Hydrophobic and pi-pi interactions with the aromatic structure of the ligand seem also to contribute to protein binding. The behaviour of aminophenylboronate-liganded agarose is, in some respects, rather similar to that of the so-called "thiophilic adsorbents".