Evaluating the influence of air pollution on solar radiation observations over the coastal region of Alicante (Southeastern Spain).

The present study evaluates ground-based downward surface shortwave radiation (Rs) over the coastal region of Alicante (Southeastern Spain). Hourly measurements collected over the eleven-year period 2010-2020 are used. Two weather stations located over the region capital, Alicante, have been selected as representative of urban and suburban typologies. Two additional weather stations far from the city have been selected representing rural typologies. Rs is significantly reduced over the urban station during the morning hours within the winter season compared to the observations recorded over the suburban and rural stations, with a global mean difference of -81 and -120 W/m2 at 10 LT, respectively. However, no significant differences are obtained during the midday sun, with a global mean difference of -20 W/m2 between the urban and rural stations. With the aim of explaining these differences, the current paper investigates the relationship between Rs and different air pollutants: NOx, SO2, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) as well as the wind field measured at the urban and suburban stations. The results found in this work point towards a close relationship between Rs and NOx concentrations annual cycles, which are also influenced by the prevailing wind circulations observed over the study area. A global mean NOx concentration of 107 µg/m3 is observed over the urban station at 10 LT during the winter season. In contrast, these high concentrations are significantly reduced over the suburban station, with global mean value of 40 µg/m3 at 10 LT, for this period of the year.

Vitamin C and folate status in hereditary fructose intolerance.

BACKGROUND: Hereditary fructose intolerance (HFI) is a rare inborn error of fructose metabolism caused by the deficiency of aldolase B. Since treatment consists of a fructose-, sucrose- and sorbitol-restrictive diet for life, patients are at risk of presenting vitamin deficiencies. Although there is no published data on the status of these vitamins in HFI patients, supplementation with vitamin C and folic acid is common. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess vitamin C and folate status and supplementation practices in a nationwide cohort of HFI patients. METHODS: Vitamin C and folic acid dietary intake, supplementation and circulating levels were assessed in 32 HFI patients and 32 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. RESULTS: Most of the HFI participants presented vitamin C (96.7%) and folate (90%) dietary intake below the recommended population reference intake. Up to 69% received vitamin C and 50% folic acid supplementation. Among HFI patients, 15.6% presented vitamin C and 3.1% folate deficiency. The amount of vitamin C supplementation and plasma levels correlated positively (R = 0.443; p = 0.011). Interestingly, a higher percentage of non-supplemented HFI patients were vitamin C deficient when compared to supplemented HFI patients (30% vs. 9.1%; p = 0.01) and to healthy controls (30% vs. 3.1%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide evidence for the first time supporting vitamin C supplementation in HFI. There is great heterogeneity in vitamin supplementation practices and, despite follow-up at specialised centres, vitamin C deficiency is common. Further research is warranted to establish optimal doses of vitamin C and the need for folic acid supplementation in HFI.

Analysis of Radon Measurements in Relation to Daily Seismic Activity Rates in the Vrancea Region, Romania.

Many previous research studies have shown how local and even regional earthquakes can significantly affect the release of radon in the soil. The aim of this work is to investigate the relationship between radon measurements and the daily seismic activity rate and develop a methodology that allows estimating the seismic activity rate using only radon measurements. To carry out this study, the earthquake catalogue of the Vrancea region (Romania) has been used to estimate the daily seismic activity rate during a given time period, in which radon measurements were also recorded, from January 2016 to September 2020. The Vrancea zone represents the most active seismic zone in Europe and is located on the eastern edge of the strongly bent Carpathian arc. In the case of the radon measurements, seasonal behaviours and linear trends due to non-seismic factors have been identified and subsequently removed. The discrete wavelet transform has been used to analyse the radon signal at two different scales: long and short periods. From the analysis carried out on a long-period scale, an approximate linear relationship has been obtained between the radon series and the daily seismic activity rate, which provides insights into the behaviour of the seismic activity in the study region with only the radon information. In addition, the study reveals certain characteristics that could be used as precursors of earthquakes at different scales: weeks in the case of the estimated daily seismic activity rate, and days in the case of the short-period signal obtained by the wavelet analysis. The results obtained for this region allow us to hope that the analysis of the radon time series can become an effective complement to the conventional seismic analysis used in operational earthquake forecasting.

Transferrin Isoforms, Old but New Biomarkers in Hereditary Fructose Intolerance.

Hereditary Fructose Intolerance (HFI) is an autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism characterised by the deficiency of the hepatic enzyme aldolase B. Its treatment consists in adopting a fructose-, sucrose-, and sorbitol (FSS)-restrictive diet for life. Untreated HFI patients present an abnormal transferrin (Tf) glycosylation pattern due to the inhibition of mannose-6-phosphate isomerase by fructose-1-phosphate. Hence, elevated serum carbohydrate-deficient Tf (CDT) may allow the prompt detection of HFI. The CDT values improve when an FSS-restrictive diet is followed; however, previous data on CDT and fructose intake correlation are inconsistent. Therefore, we examined the complete serum sialoTf profile and correlated it with FSS dietary intake and with hepatic parameters in a cohort of paediatric and adult fructosemic patients. To do so, the profiles of serum sialoTf from genetically diagnosed HFI patients on an FSS-restricted diet (n = 37) and their age-, sex- and body mass index-paired controls (n = 32) were analysed by capillary zone electrophoresis. We found that in HFI patients, asialoTf correlated with dietary intake of sucrose (R = 0.575, p < 0.001) and FSS (R = 0.475, p = 0.008), and that pentasialoTf+hexasialoTf negatively correlated with dietary intake of fructose (R = -0.386, p = 0.024) and FSS (R = -0.400, p = 0.019). In addition, the tetrasialoTf/disialoTf ratio truthfully differentiated treated HFI patients from healthy controls, with an area under the ROC curve (AUROC) of 0.97, 92% sensitivity, 94% specificity and 93% accuracy.

Tricuspid Valve Repair with Autologous Pericardium in a Patient with Infective Endocarditis.

Infective endocarditis is a rather uncommon disease, but it has significant mortality rates in the pediatric population (5% to 10%). We report a case of an infant patient with multiple vegetation in the tricuspid valve secondary to infective endocarditis caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. A tricuspid valvuloplasty was performed with a fenestrated autologous pericardium patch, providing satisfactory outcomes. This technique is simple, innovative, effective, and it could be applied in similar cases.

Tricuspid valve repair with autologous pericardium in a patient with infective endocarditis

Abstract Infective endocarditis is a rather uncommon disease, but it has significant mortality rates in the pediatric population (5% to 10%). We report a case of an infant patient with multiple vegetation in the tricuspid valve secondary to infective endocarditis caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. A tricuspid valvuloplasty was performed with a fenestrated autologous pericardium patch, providing satisfactory outcomes. This technique is simple, innovative, effective, and it could be applied in similar cases.

Resultados quirúrgicos y factores de riesgo relacionados a mortalidad operatoria en la corrección quirúrgica de 276 pacientes consecutivos con tetralogía de Fallot / Surgical outcomes and risk factors of operative mortality in 276 consecutives patients with tetralogy of Fallot

La tetralogía de Fallot es una de las cardiopatías congénitas cianógenas más frecuentes. A pesar de ello no existen en Venezuela reportes actualizados de los resultados de su corrección quirúrgica. Describir los resultados obtenidos en la reparación quirúrgica de pacientes con tetralogía de Fallot y evaluar los factores de riesgo de mortalidad operatoria relacionados así como describir la sobrevida actuarial y la libertad de reoperación del tracto de salida del ventrículo derecho. Se incluyeron en forma restrospectiva a todos aquellos pacientes intervenidos de corrección total de tetralogía de Fallot entre octubre 2006 a mayo 2010. Se evaluó el tiempo de by-pass cardiopulmonar, tiempo de pinzamiento aórtico, edad, peso, talla, relación de presiones entre el ventrículo derecho e izquierdo después de la corrección. Adicionalmente se trazaron las curvas actuariales para sobrevida y libertad de reoperación para el tracto de salida derecho. Solo el tiempo de circulación extracorporea mayor a 100 minutos estuvo relacionado a mortalidad operatoria. La mortalidad operatoria global fue de 5,8%. La sobrevida actuarial a los 4 años fue de 92,5%, y la libertad de reoperación por obstrucción del tracto de salida derecho fue de 98,4%. Los resultados obtenidos son similares a los observados en la literatura mundial en relación con la mortalidad operatoria y libertad de reoperación del tracto de salida derecho. Los tiempos de circulación extracorporea mayores a 100 minutos podrían estar relacionados a una mayor dificultad técnica de la corrección y esto a su vez estar relacionado a mortalidad.

Tetralogy of Fallot is one of the most common cyanotic congenital heart defects. However, in Venezuela there are no current reports of results of its surgical correction. To describe the results of surgical repair of Tetralogy of Fallot patients and evaluate the risk factors related to operative mortality and to describe the actuarial survival curves and freedom from reoperation for the right ventricule outflow tract obstruction. We included retrospectively all patients undergoing total correction of tetralogy of Fallot from October 2006 to May 2010. We evaluated time of cardiopulmonary bypass, aortic cross-clamp time, age, weight, height, and pressure ratio between right and left ventricle after correction. Additionally actuarial curves were plotted for survival and freedom from reoperation for right outflow tract obstruction. Cardiopulmonary by-pass times longer than 100 minutes was related to operative mortality. The overall operative mortality was 5.8%. The actuarial survival at 4 years was 92.5%, and freedom from reoperation for right outflow tract obstruction was 98.4%. These results are similar to those observed in the literature regarding the operative mortality and freedom from reoperation for right outflow tract obstruction. Cardiopulmonary by-pass times longer than 100 minutes could be related to increased technical difficulties during correction and this in turn be related to mortality.