Green Synthesis of Iron Oxides and Phosphates via Thermal Treatment of Iron Polyphenols Synthesized by a Camellia sinensis Extract.

Iron oxide nanoparticles (FeONPs) prepared with plant extracts have been emerging as green and sustainable materials. FeONPs are usually amorphous due to the chelation of the tea polyphenols (TPs) to the iron, and the real nature of the iron compounds is not completely understood. The main goal of this study was to investigate the behavior of the green FeONPs synthesized from an Fe3+ salt and Cammelia sinensis (black tea) extract upon thermal treatment, in order to remove TPs and enable the formation of crystalline materials suitable for a thorough characterization and with the potential for diverse applications. The as-prepared FeONPs were assigned as mixed-valence Fe(III) oxyhydroxides and Fe(II)/Fe(III) ions bound to TPs. A detailed description of the phase transformation upon heating revealed the formation of the rare nano ß-Fe2O3 phase at 400 °C, followed by a transformation to α-Fe2O3 as the temperature increased. Above 600 °C, the unprecedented formation of FePO4 and Fe3PO7 was observed, produced from the reaction of Fe2O3 and free phosphate ions present in the black tea leaves, Fe3PO7 being the major phase obtained at 900 °C. Finally, the catalytic potential of the FeONPs to treat the azo dye methyl orange through a heterogeneous Fenton-like system was investigated.

[Reliability of retinography for the detection of hypertensive retinopathy in Primary Care]. / Fiabilidad de la retinografía para la detección de retinopatía hipertensiva en Atención Primaria.

OBJECTIVE: High blood pressure is one of the most prevalent diseases in general adult population. Its importance lies in the complications it causes in target organs such as kidney, heart, brain and eye. The aim of this work is to evaluate the agreement in the evaluation and interpretation of retinographies of hypertensive patients by family doctors and ophthalmologists. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a multicentric cross-sectional study in which 976 hypertensive patients from 50 to 70 years old were involved. They were participants of the «Investigating Silent Strokes in Hypertensives: a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study¼ (ISSYS project) carried out in primary care centers of Barcelona and who agreed to undergo retinography. Six family physicians and 2 ophthalmologists evaluated the presence of retinal lesions through the Keith-Wagener-Barker criteria. RESULTS: The inter/intra-observer Kappa concordance of the evaluations was analyzed. The evaluation of the retinographies under the usual conditions of clinical practice obtained a high subjective component with slight and fair intra-observer concordance values in the Keith-Wagener-Barker criteria. Only the assessment of the microaneurysms showed a moderate concordance and the ratio artery/vein was the worst concordant. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation of the retinographies in habitual conditions of clinical practice has a high subjective component that is reflected in slight and fair inter-intraobserver concordance values. The use of objective reading systems in the assessment of retinography in hypertensive patients would be useful.

Genetic Variants at the 9p21.3 Locus Are Associated with Risk for Non-Compressible Artery Disease: Results from the ARTPER Study.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) and non-compressible artery disease (NCAD) constitute predictors of subclinical atherosclerosis easily assessed through the ankle brachial index (ABI). Although both diseases show substantial genetic influences, few genetic association studies have focused on the ABI and PAD, and none have focused on NCAD. To overcome these limitations, we assessed the role of several candidate genes on the ABI, both in its continuous distribution and in the clinical manifestations associated to its extreme values: PAD and NCAD. We examined 13 candidate genomic regions in 1606 participants from the ARTPER study, a prospective population-based cohort, with the ABI assessed through ultrasonography. Association analyses were conducted independently for individuals with PAD (ABI < 0.9) or with NCAD (ABI > 1.4) vs. healthy participants. After including potential covariates and correction for multiple testing, minor alleles in the genetic markers rs10757278 and rs1333049, both in the 9p21.3 region, were significantly associated with a decreased risk of NCAD. Associations with the ABI showed limited support to these results. No significant associations were detected for PAD. The locus 9p21.3 constitutes the first genetic locus associated with NCAD, an assessment of subclinical atherosclerosis feasible for implementation in primary healthcare settings that has been systematically neglected from genetic studies.

Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of adult patients hospitalized for erysipelas and cellulitis.

The purpose of this investigation was to analyze the clinical and epidemiological aspects of all cases of erysipelas and infectious cellulitis admitted to a tertiary hospital during a period of five years. All patients admitted with the main diagnosis of erysipelas or cellulitis to the Department of Dermatology of the author's institution from January 2005 to May 2010 were included. Seventy patients were identified and their medical records were retrospectively reviewed so as to record the epidemiological and clinical data. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to analyze variables that predicted longer length of stay. The frequency of cellulitis in the lower limbs was higher in men and patients older than 65 years. Moderate/severe cellulitis in patients with basal comorbidity followed by a poor response to oral antibiotic therapy for 48 h were the most common reasons for admission. At arrival, four patients had abscessed areas. Fourteen patients developed local complications and 18 cases developed general in-hospital complications. Most patients improved or were healed with intravenous amoxicillin-clavulanate 1 g-200 mg/8 h. Intravenous amoxicillin-clavulanate 1 g-200 mg/8 h may be a good choice for empiric treatment in our setting. The development of in-hospital complications and the need for changing empiric antibiotic therapy were significant and independent variables associated with longer length of stay.

Study of Soft/Hard Bimagnetic CoFe²/CoFe²O4 Nanocomposite.

We report an experimental study of the bimagnetic nanocomposites CoFe2/CoFe2O4. The precursor material, CoFe2O4 was prepared using the conventional stoichiometric combustion method. The nano-structured material CoFe2/CoFe2O4 was obtained by total oxygen reduction of CoFe2O4 using a thermal treatment at 350 °C in H2 atmospheres following the partial oxidation in O2 atmospheres at 380 °C during 120; 30; 15, 10, and 5 min. The X-ray diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy and transmission electronic microscopy images confirmed the formation of the material CoFe2/CoFe2O4. The magnetic hysteresis for the nanocomposite with different saturation magnetization (from 87 to 108 emu/g) also confirms the formation of the CoFe2/CoFe2O4 with different content of CoFe2O4. Furthermore, the magnetic hysteresis curves for all samples presented a single magnetic behavior, suggesting the magnetic coupling between the phases of the nanocomposite. The effects of high energy milling on the magnetic properties of the precursor material and nanocomposites samples were evaluated.

Low, borderline and normal ankle-brachial index as a predictor of incidents outcomes in the Mediterranean based-population ARTPER cohort after 9 years follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Guidelines recommended adopting the same cardiovascular risk modification strategies used for coronary disease in case of low Ankle-brachial index (ABI), but here exist few studies on long-term cardiovascular outcomes in patients with borderline ABI and even fewer on the general population. AIM: The aim of the present study was to analyze the relationship between long-term cardiovascular events and low, borderline and normal ABI after a 9-year follow up of a Mediterranean population with low cardiovascular risk. DESIGN AND SETTING: A population-based prospective cohort study was performed in the province of Barcelona, Spain. METHOD: A total of 3,786 subjects >49 years were recruited from 2006-2008. Baseline ABI was 1.08 ± 0.16. Subjects were followed from the time of enrollment to the end of follow-up in 2016 via phone calls every 6 months, systematic reviews of primary-care and hospital medical records and analysis of the SIDIAP (Information System for Primary Care Research) database to confirm the possible appearance of cardiovascular events. RESULTS: 3146 individuals participated in the study. 2,420 (77%) subjects had normal ABI, 524 (17%) had borderline ABI, and 202 (6.4%) had low ABI. In comparison with normal and borderline subjects, patients with lower ABI had more comorbidities, such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes. Cumulative MACE incidence at 9 years was 20% in patients with low ABI, 6% in borderline ABI and 5% in normal ABI. The annual MACE incidence after 9 years follow-up was significantly higher in people with low ABI (26.9/1000py) (p<0.001) than in borderline (6.6/1000py) and in normal ABI (5.6/1000py). Subjects with borderline ABI are at significantly higher risk for coronary disease (HR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.02-2, 43; p = 0,040) compared to subjects with normal ABI, after adjustment. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study support that low ABI was independently associated with higher incidence of MACE, ICE, cardiovascular and no cardiovascular mortality; while borderline ABI had significantly moderate risk for coronary disease than normal ABI.

Removal of methyl orange by heterogeneous Fenton catalysts prepared using glycerol as green reducing agent.

This study aims to prepare environmentally friendly iron catalysts supported on silica, using glycerol as green reducing and stabilizing agent, for application in heterogeneous Fenton degradation of the pollutant dye methyl orange (MO). The catalysts were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, atomic absorption spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analyses, Mössbauer and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies, which revealed the formation of iron(II)/(III) oxalates from the oxidation of glycerol by the iron(III) nitrate precursor. Besides, iron oxihydroxide nanoparticles with superparamagnetic behavior were also formed. Iron catalysts prepared in the presence of nickel(II) or zinc(II) nitrates lead to the formation of the corresponding oxalates. The catalysts were able to degrade MO, efficiently in 180 min of reaction. Fe/SiO2 furnished higher reaction rates, followed by Zn4Fe2/SiO2, which presented higher iron content as well as the smallest nanoparticles. Reaction parameters such as catalyst dosage, hydrogen peroxide concentration, pH and reaction temperature were investigated.

Ankle-brachial index in screening for asymptomatic carotid and intracranial atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate usefulness of ankle-brachial index (ABI) in the screening for asymptomatic cervico-cerebral atherosclerosis (CCA) against traditional vascular risk assessment. METHODS: This study included a random population sample of 933 Caucasians without prior cardiovascular disease but with a moderate and high vascular risk (REGICOR score 5-9% and ≥ 10%). Presence and degree of CCA was evaluated by color-coded duplex and significant stenosis >50% (SCCA) confirmed by MRA. RESULTS: Prevalence of significant carotid and/or intracranial stenosis was 6% in the whole population, but increased up to 25% among those subjects with ABI ≤ 0.9 regardless of REGICOR score. Using REGICOR ≥ 10%, the likelihood ratio (LR) for the detection of SCCA was 1.8, while using ABI ≤ 0.90 the LR was 6.0. After multivariate regression analysis, low ABI was independently associated with SCCA whereas REGICOR score was not. Less than 40% of subjects with SCCA were taking antiplatelet drugs or statins at the moment of diagnosis. CONCLUSION: ABI emerged as a useful and simple tool in identifying asymptomatic SCCA in our population. This finding may be important for improving stroke primary prevention strategies.

The Barcelona-Asymptomatic Intracranial Atherosclerosis (AsIA) study: prevalence and risk factors.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The ongoing population-based Barcelona-Asymptomatic Intracranial Atherosclerosis (Barcelona-AsIA) study is a prospective study that plans to investigate the natural history of asymptomatic intracranial atherosclerosis (AsIA) in a Caucasian-Mediterranean population, which remains unknown until now. The present study aims to determine the prevalence of AsIA and associated risk factors in the final study cohort. METHODS: Crossover, population-based study of a representative sample (randomly selected from our reference population) older than 50 with a moderate-high vascular risk assessed by the vascular equation REGICOR and prior history of neither stroke nor ischemic heart disease. Anthropometric, demographic, clinical data and blood samples were collected at baseline. All individuals underwent a complete extracranial and transcranial color-coded duplex (TCCD) examination. TCCD criteria were used to identify and classify the degree of intracranial stenoses. RESULTS: A total of 933 subjects (64% men, mean age 66.3 years) were included in the study. One or more intracranial stenoses were detected at baseline in 80 subjects (8.6%) of whom 31 (3.3%) had moderate-severe lesions. The higher the REGICOR scores the greater the prevalence of AsIA (6.6%, 10.2% and 25% for REGICOR scores 5-9, 10-14 and ≥15, p<0.001). Diabetes (OR 2.95; 95% CI (1.68-5.18); p<0.001), age (OR 1.05; 95% CI (1.02-1.08); p=0.001) and hypertension (OR 1.78; 95% CI (1.02-3.13); p=0.04) were independently associated with any degree of AsIA, while diabetes (OR 2.85; 95% CI (1.16-6.96); p=0.02) and age kept independently associated with moderate-severe AsIA. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of AsIA and moderate-severe AsIA in stroke-free Caucasians with a moderate-high vascular risk were 8.6% and 3.3% respectively. Diabetes and age were independently associated with moderate-severe AsIA.

Large variations in the magnetic ordering behavior of EuCu(2)As(2) with the application of external pressure and magnetic field.

The influence of external pressure on the electrical transport and magnetic properties of EuCu(2)As(2), crystallizing in a ThCr(2)Si(2)-type structure, is reported. The system is known to be an antiferromagnet below T(N) ≈ 15 K in the absence of external magnetic fields. We find that there is a gradual reduction of T(N) with the application of a magnetic field with an extrapolated value of the critical field of around 18 kOe which can drive T(N) to zero. Electrical resistivity under pressure (<11 GPa) reveals that the magnetic ordering temperature is pushed up dramatically to higher temperatures which is quite interesting if compared with the behavior in isostructural FeAs-based systems containing Eu. Above 7 GPa, the pressure-induced state appears to be ferromagnetic. The results thus reveal interesting changes in the magnetic ordering behavior of this compound with increasing pressure and magnetic fields.

First-order phase transitions in CaFe2As2 single crystal: a local probe study.

(57)Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy has been used to investigate the structural and magnetic phase transitions of CaFe2As2 (T(N) = 173 K) single crystals. For this compound we found that V(ZZ) is positive and parallel to the c-axis of the tetragonal structure. For CaFe2As2 a magnetic hyperfine field B(hf) was observed at the (57)Fe nucleus below T(N) ~173 K. Analysis of the temperature dependence of B(hf) data using the Bean-Rodbell model shows that the Fe spins undergo a first-order magnetic transition at ~173 K. A collinear antiferromagnetic structure is established below this temperature with the Fe spin lying in the (a, b) plane. Below T(N) the paramagnetic fraction of Fe decreases down to 150 K and for lower temperatures all the Fe spins are magnetically ordered.

[Vascular risk factors and cognitive performance in patients 50 to 65 years-old]. / Factores de riesgo vascular y rendimiento cognitivo en personas de 50 a 65 años.

INTRODUCTION: Vascular risk factors (VRF) have been related to cognitive deficits and an increased risk of dementia. Cognitive impairment is considered to be one of the earliest manifestations of cerebrovascular disease. In Spain there is a high prevalence of VRF, but also one of the lowest incidences of cerebrovascular disease in Europe. This is the first study that investigates the relationship between VRF and cognition in a Spanish sample. METHODS: A total of 90 people aged between 50-65 years with a low-to-moderate cardiovascular risk underwent a neuropsychological evaluation. None of them had a history of cardiovascular disease. The battery included tests assessing executive, attentional, mnesic, visuospatial and motor-speed/coordination functions. We used correlation and inter-groups comparison to relate VRF to multiple cognitive domains0120. RESULTS: Higher stroke risk was significantly related to a lowered profile in visuo-constructive functions and motor-speed/coordination. Moreover, the group with moderate cardiovascular risk showed a lower performance in visuoconstructive functions compared to the low-risk group. After statistical adjustment for age, sex and years of scholarship VRF were only related to motor-speed/coordination. CONCLUSIONS: In healthy, middle-aged adults, VRF are related with impairment in two cognitive domains. This effect is slight and tends to appear in people with moderate cardiovascular risk.

Mössbauer study of superconducting NdFeAsO(0.88)F(0.12) and its parent compound NdFeAsO.

(57)Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy has been used to investigate the magnetic order of non-superconducting NdFeAsO (T(N) = 140 K) and superconducting NdFeAsO(0.88)F(0.12) (T(c) = 45 K). A magnetic hyperfine field B(hf) was observed at the (57)Fe nucleus below T(N)∼140 K for NdFeAsO. Below ∼2 K an increase of B(hf) relative to the saturation value was attributed to the transferred B(hf) at the Fe site resulting from the collinear antiferromagnetic (AF) spin structure of the Nd moments. The analysis of the spectra is consistent with a commensurate AF order of Fe spins. No  B(hf) is observed in superconducting NdFeAsO(0.88)F(0.12) down to 1.5 K.

Terapia ocupacional precoz e intensiva en la prevención del delirium en adultos mayores ingresados a unidades de paciente crítico: ensayo clínico randomizado: resultados preliminares / Early and intensive occupational therapy in prevention of delirium in older adults admitted to critical patient unit: randomized clinical trial: prelimary results

Objetivo: comparar la eficacia de la prevención no farmacológica estándar (PnFE) versus la prevención no farmacológica reforzada (PnFR), consistente en prevención no farmacológica estándar más terapia ocupacional (TO) precoz e intensiva, en la incidencia del delirium en adultos mayores (AM) ingresados a unidad de pacientes críticos (UPC). Diseño: ensayo clínico randomizado, en UPC del Hospital Clínico de la Universidad de Chile (HCUCH). Sujetos: 70 pacientes de edad igual o superior a 60 años, ingresados al HCUCH entre abril y octubre del 2011, con necesidad de ingreso a UPC para monitorización, hospitalización por enfermedad aguda/crónica descompensada, con consentimiento del paciente o familiar y sin presencia de delirium al ingreso ni deterioro cognitivo previo al estudio. Materiales y métodos: PnFE (grupo control) consiste en: reorientación, movilización precoz, corrección de déficit sensoriales, manejo ambiental, protocolo de sueño y reducción de fármacos anticolinérgicos, versus PnFR (grupo experimental), que considera las siguientes áreas de intervención de TO: estimulación polisensorial, posicionamiento, estimulación cognitiva, entrenamiento en actividades de la vida diaria básica, estimulación motora de extremidades superiores y participación familiar; durante 5 días, dos veces al día. Se evaluó la presencia del delirium, con el CAM dos veces al día durante 5 días, y la severidad de éste con DRS; previo al alta se evaluó, independencia funcional con FIM, estado cognitivo con MMSE y fuerza de garra con dinamómetro de Jamar. Resultados: la PnFR de TO se asocia a menor incidencia de delirium, afectando al 16,1 por ciento del grupo con prevención no farmacológica estándar versus un 3,1 por ciento del con prevención no farmacológica reforzada, así como a menos días de hospitalización (20,6 días versus 10,4 p=.009). La independencia funcional al alta se mantiene en aspectos cognitivos (32,5 versus 32,9) mientras que en aspectos motores aumenta...

Objective: to compare the efficacy of standard non pharmacological prevention of delirium versus intensified prevention of delirium (standard prevention plus early and intensive occupational therapy) in the incidence of delirium in older adults (OA) admitted to critical patient unit (CPU). Desing: randomized control trial, blinded to outcome evaluator, in the CPU of Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile. Subjects: 70 patients aged 60 years or older, admitted to CPU between April and October of 2011, with need for admission to CPU for monitoring, acute or decompensated chronic illness, without cognitive impairment and consent by patient or family member. Materials and methods: standard prevention group consisted in: reorienting, early mobilization, correction of sensory deficit, environmental management, protocol of sleep and reduction of drugs, and intensified prevention based on standard measured plus early and intensive Occupational therapy: multisensory stimulation, positioning, cognitive stimulation, training in activities of daily living, motor stimulation of the upper extremities and family participation, twice a day for 5 days. Delirium was evaluated (twice a day for 5 days) with CAM and severity with DRS. Primary outcome was delirium incidence, and secondarily were functional independence (FIM), cognitive status (MMSE) and strength of grip with jamar dynamometer at leaving. Results: early intervention and intensive occupational therapy is associated with lower incidence of delirium, affecting 16.1 percent of non-pharmacological standard prevention group and 3.1 percent of intensified prevention group, as well as fewer days of hospitalization (20, 6 days versus 10,4, p= 0,009). The functional independence at leaving keeps in cognitive (32.5 versus 32.9) and is increases significantly in motor aspects (46.5 versus 58.3 l, P =. 03). Conclusion: standard prevention plus early intensive intervention of occupational therapy is effective in...