Photodegradation of 2,4-D (dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) with Rh/TiO2; comparative study with other noble metals (Ru, Pt, and Au).

In this work the effect of noble metal on the photodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid herbicide using TiO2 as support was studied. The metals and concentration were: Rh, Ru, Pt and Au and 1, 0.98, 1.89, and 1.91 wt% respectively. Rhodium was taken as reference for this experiment. The samples were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), UV-vis absorption spectra, N2 physisorption (BET Specific Surface Area), High Annular Angle Analysis Darkfield (HAADF) and Transmission Electron Microscopy Scanning (STEM), H2 chemisorption, optical emission spectroscopy with inductive coupling plasma analysis (ICP-OES), solid fluorescence, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and OH quantification. The presence of the anatase crystalline phase was mostly confirmed in all samples. The band gap decreased with the presence of metal (from 3.24 to 2.92 eV). The specific area was a function of the metal particle size. The metal particle diameter showed the following sequence Pt > Ru > Au > Rh. By XPS, TiO2 does not manifest changes in oxidation states, but when impregnated with metals, only Pt shows the highest abundance of any oxidized state (Pt2+). The presence of metal reveals less electron-hole recombination compared with titanium oxide. The results of photocatalytic activity showed that Pt and Rh are the two metals with the highest mineralization (99.0 and 98.3%, respectively).

[The effect of the early administration of progesterone on egg recovery, fertilization and pregnancy in an institutional fertilization in vitro program]. / Efecto de la administración temprana de progesterona sobre la tasa de captura ovular, fertilización y embarazo en un programa institucional de fertilización in vitro.

39 patients which underwent an IVF-ET procedure at the INPer were divided in two groups. To one of them, progesterone was administered since the day of oocyte retrieval (group I), whereas the other group received progesterone 48 hours before hCG administration (group II). There were no statistical differences between the groups in the parameters analysed before the oocyte retrieval. There were statistical differences between the groups in progesterone levels in the day of oocyte retrieval in favour of group II, and in fertilization rate and transfer rate for group I. There were no valuable differences between the groups in pregnancy rate.

[Anthropometry at birth of the child of a mother with a change in glucose metabolism]. / Antropometría al nacimiento del hijo de madre con alteración en el metabolismo de la glucosa.

The study compares 156 newborns whose mothers had an endocrinological diagnosis of various glucose metabolism disorders, and a control group of 42 newborn whose mothers had no glucose metabolism disorder. The entire sample including the control group had 98 males and 100 females. The study group with 156 newborns was divided into 4 groups, depending on the degree of the mother's disorder. In group 1, the baby's mothers suffered diabetes mellitus type 1; group 2, diabetes type 2; group 3, gestational diabetes; and group 4, pregnancy disorders of glucose. We observed that there were no differences among the groups in the weight/height ratio. Nevertheless there was great variability in the correlation between height and weight among the study groups. Multiplex box and whisker plots conform that intergroup dispersions in the weight height ratio was greater for the experimental group than for the control group. The pattern results was similar for the weight-head circumference ratio. We concluded that adequate control of glucose metabolism disorder during pregnancy results in product with normal growth indices.