ECO-FRIENDLY hybrid hydrogels for detection of phenolic RESIDUES in water using SERS.

Herein is presented a simple and sensible method to determine organic pollutants in water, based on the utilization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) loaded in Polyacrylamide (PAAm)/starch hybrid hydrogels combined with surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. The materials were characterized by swelling degree studies, UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). PAAm/starch hydrogels showed variable swelling capacity, according to the synthetic molar composition. The most promising results were attributed to lower concentrations of starch and crosslink agent (N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide - MBA). Spectroscopic analysis confirmed the formation of AgNPs, by noticing the peak at around 420 nm, due to its surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect. The results showed that AgNPs were stabilized by hydrogels networks. The average size of the AgNPs was smaller than 100 nm and the size and quantity of nanoparticles were influenced by the molar composition of the hydrogel matrix. The SERS substrate based on the AgNPs-PAAm/starch exhibited reproducibility, stability, and limit of detection (LOD) of phenol in water of 1 × 10-8 M. The average mass of AgNPs-PAAm/starch hydrogels used for each detection analysis was around 10 mg. The spectra with enhanced intensities were possible due to a large number of hot spots generated on the AgNPs-PAAm/starch hydrogel substrate, which leads to potential use for organic pollutant detection. In addition, there is also the possibility of reusing the hydrogel matrix substrate in other analyzes.

Handovers Among Staff Intensivists: A Study of Information Loss and Clinical Accuracy to Anticipate Events.

OBJECTIVES: Handovers are associated with medical errors, and our primary objective is to identify missed diagnosis and goals immediately after a shift handover. Our secondary objective is to assess clinicians' diagnostic accuracy in anticipating clinical events during the night shift. DESIGN: Single-center prospective observational cohort study. SETTING: Thirty-bed tertiary ICU in Sao Paulo, Brazil. PATIENTS: Three-hundred fifty-two patient encounters over 44 day-to-night handovers. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We used a multimethods approach to measure transmission of information among staff physicians on diagnoses and goals for the night shift. We surveyed clinicians immediately after a handover and identified clinical events through chart abstractions and interviews with clinicians the next morning. Nighttime clinicians correctly identified 454 of 857 diagnoses (53%; 95% CI 50-56) and 123 of 304 goals (40%; 95% CI, 35-46). Daytime clinicians were more sensitive (65% vs 46%; p < 0.01) but less specific (82% vs 91%; p < 0.01) than nighttime clinicians in anticipating clinical events at night, resulting in similar accuracy (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.68-0.79] vs 0.68 [95% CI 0.63-0.74]; p = 0.09). The positive predictive value of both daytime and nighttime clinicians was low (13% vs 17%; p = 0.2). Gaps in diagnosis and anticipation of events were more pronounced in neurologic diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: Among staff intensivists, diagnoses and goals of treatment are either not conveyed or retained 50-60% of the cases immediately after a handover. Clinicians have limited ability to anticipate events, and the expectation that anticipatory guidance can inform handovers needs to be balanced against information overload. Handovers among staff intensivists showed more gaps in the identification of diagnostic uncertainty and for neurologic diagnoses, which could benefit from communication strategies such as cognitive checklists, prioritizing discussion of neurologic patients, and brief combined clinical examination at handover.

Temporal trends in microplastic accumulation in placentas from pregnancies in Hawai'i.

Microplastics are created for commercial use, are shed from textiles, or result from the breakdown of larger plastic items. Recent reports have shown that microplastics accumulate in human tissues and may have adverse health consequences. Currently, there are no standardized environmental monitoring systems to track microplastic accumulation within human tissues. Using Raman spectroscopy, we investigated the temporal exposures to plastic pollution in Hawai'i and noted a significant increase in the accumulation of microplastics in discarded placentas over the past 15 years, with changes in the size and chemical composition of the polymers. These findings provide a rare insight into the vulnerability and sensitivity of Pacific Island residents to plastic pollution and illustrate how discarded human tissues can be used as an innovative environmental plastic pollution monitoring system.

Spray volumes for agrochemicals applied to soybean and wheat crops

The question of the spray volume for applying agrochemicals to plants has and still demands studies to continuously search for guiding parameters for technicians due to the several variables involving application technology. This experiment aimed to determine the best spray volume for applying pesticides with a boom sprayer to soybean (Glycine max) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) crops. The experiment had a completely randomized blocks design with five treatments and five replications. In soybean (crop year 2011/12), the treatments were the control (no pesticide application) and spray volume applications of 50, 100, 150, and 200 L ha-1. For wheat (crop year 2012), the treatments were the control and spray volumes of 75, 100, 125, and 150 L ha-1. The variables analyzed were the yield components. The study concluded the need for applying foliar fertilizers and performing the chemical control of diseases and pests in soybean and wheat crops. The spray volumes of 50 L ha-1 for soybeans and 75 L ha-1 for wheat were satisfactory for spraying agrochemicals with a ground bar sprayer on plants.

Time-intensity profile of pitanga nectar (Eugenia uniflora L.) with different sweeteners: Sweetness and bitterness.

Pitanga has been used by the Brazilian food industry mainly for juice production. This fruit shows good economic potential due to its high concentration of vitamins and minerals. The aim of the present work was to characterize the time-intensity profile of pitanga nectar sweetened with different sweeteners to verify differences on the perception of sweet and bitter tastes. The sweeteners used to replace sucrose were sucralose, aspartame, stevia 40% rebaudioside A, stevia 95% rebaudioside A, neotame, and 2:1 cyclamate/saccharin blend. Fifteen assessors were selected according to their discriminating capability and trained to participate in the time-intensity analysis for sweetness and bitterness. The samples prepared with sucralose and 2:1 cyclamate/saccharin blend presented a similar sweetness profile to the sample prepared with sucrose, and the samples prepared with sucralose and aspartame presented a similar bitterness profile to the sample prepared with sucrose. Thus, sucralose would be the most suitable sweetener to replace sucrose in pitanga nectar.

Sensory profile and acceptability for pitanga (Eugenia uniflora L.) nectar with different sweeteners.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the sensory properties and acceptability of pitanga nectar samples prepared with sucrose and different sweeteners (sucralose, aspartame, stevia with 40% rebaudioside A, stevia with 95% rebaudioside A, neotame, and a 2:1 cyclamate/saccharin blend). A total of 13 assessors participated in a quantitative descriptive analysis and evaluated the samples in relation to the descriptor terms. The acceptability test was carried out by 120 fruit juice consumers. The results of the quantitative descriptive analysis of pitanga nectar showed that samples prepared with sucralose, aspartame, and the 2:1 cyclamate/saccharin blend had sensory profiles similar to that of the sample prepared with sucrose. Consumers' most accepted samples were prepared with sucrose, sucralose, aspartame, and neotame. The sweeteners that have the greatest potential to replace sucrose in pitanga nectar are sucralose and aspartame.

Desafios e possibilidades do fazer do psicanalista numa equipe interdisciplinar em instituições / Challenges and possibilities of the psychoanalyst work in interdisciplinary team within institutions / Desafíos y posibilidades del hacer del psicoanalista en equipo interdisciplinario en instituciones

Apresentamos uma revisão crítica de literatura sobre as possibilidades do fazer de um psicanalista numa equipe interdisciplinar no interior de uma instituição. Utilizando a plataforma Scielo com os descritores "psicanálise" e "instituição", localizamos quinze artigos organizados em quatro categorias: o lugar do analista na instituição; apresentação de caso clínico; dispositivos clínicos: escuta da equipe, discussão de casos e supervisão; a psicanálise e as políticas públicas de saúde mental (pós-reforma psiquiátrica); além do item outros. Concluímos que os artigos são ricos em reflexões sobre a relação psicanálise/instituição, mas não apresentam descrição do cotidiano do psicanalista nesses espaços. Ressaltamos a importância de pensar as especificidades da associação livre, da atenção flutuante e do efeito-equipe na práxis analítica no âmbito institucional.

We present a critical literature review on the possibilities of a psychoanalyst's work in an interdisciplinary team within an institution. Using the Scielo platform with the descriptors "psychoanalysis" and "institution", fifteen articles were found and organized in four categories: the analyst's place in the institution; clinical case presentation; clinical devices: team listening, case discussion, and supervision; psychoanalysis and public policies on mental health (post-psychiatric reform); besides the item others. We concluded that the articles are rich in reflections on the relation psychoanalysis/institution, but they don't present descriptions of the day-by-day of psychoanalysts in these spaces. We emphasize the importance of thinking about the specificities of free association, floating attention and team effect in analytic praxis within the institutional framework.

Presentamos una revisión crítica de literatura sobre posibilidades de trabajo de un psicoanalista en un equipo interdisciplinario dentro de una institución. Utilizando la plataforma Scielo con los descriptores "psicoanálisis" e "institución", localizamos quince artículos organizados en cuatro categorías: lugar del analista en la institución; presentación de caso clínico; dispositivos clínicos: escucha del equipo, discusión de casos y supervisión; psicoanálisis y políticas públicas de salud mental (post reforma psiquiátrica); además, el ítem: otros. Concluimos que los artículos son ricos en reflexiones sobre la relación psicoanálisis/institución, pero no presentan una descripción del cotidiano del psicoanalista en esos espacios. Resaltamos la importancia de pensar las especificidades de la asociación libre, atención flotante y efecto-equipo en la praxis analítica en el ámbito institucional.