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INTRODUCTION: Spain is the country with the highest number of health care workers affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the world. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) infection in health care worker (HCW) at the Gómez Ulla Military Hospital (HCDGU). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case-control study was conducted during the first outbreak of COVID 19 at GUMH. The study was extended to the total number of HCW in the hospital who met the inclusion criteria. Health care worker of the HCDGU were civilian and military personnel that included nursing and medicine students of Spanish Military Academy, medicine specialty residents, and nursing residents of Medical Surgical Specialty in Operations (EMQO). A questionnaire of 33 items was prepared. The questionnaire was sent by e-mail to the entire population of study. With this questionnaire personnel were classified into sick (cases) or healthy. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: One hundred fifty professionals answered the questionnaire. Cases were defined as those who tested positive in the diagnostic tests (n = 28, 20.7%) and no cases were those who tested negative (n = 107, 79.3%). Therefore, the percentage of SARS-CoV-2 in the GUMH was 20.7%. Of the total number of cases, 64.3% were men (P < .05), with a mean age of 47.1 years (SD 13.3), a mean BMI of 25.3 (SD 3.8), and 48.2% being overweight. Of the total cases, 59.3% had "A" blood group type and 69.2% were Rh positive. 50% were physicians, 32.1% were nurses, and 17.9% were auxiliary nurses (P < .05). Cases and controls with vitamin D deficiency and who took supplements had a lower risk of suffering COVID-19, with significant differences. Fever, cough, and diarrhea were found in at least 50% of the samples with significant differences.
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COVID-19 , Masculino , Estados Unidos , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Feminino , COVID-19/epidemiologia , SARS-CoV-2 , Hospitais Militares , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Pessoal de Saúde , Inquéritos e Questionários , Atenção à SaúdeRESUMO
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Brain injury in fetuses with vein of Galen malformations and nongalenic AVFs is a rare complication whose appearance, course, and prognosis are poorly studied. We sought to characterize the MR imaging features and examine associations with postnatal outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of fetal MRIs of subjects with vein of Galen malformation and nongalenic arteriovenous fistulas. Two pediatric neuroradiologists independently reviewed examinations to determine the presence of abnormalities on structural imaging (T1 volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination and T2-HASTE), DWI, and T2*-weighted images; discrepancies were adjudicated by a third reviewer. Radiologic progression of injury was determined by additional fetal or neonatal MRIs. A simple composite score evaluating poor neonatal clinical outcome as either intubation or death by postnatal day 2 was also queried. A body fetal imager evaluated the presence of systemic findings of right heart strain. RESULTS: Forty-nine fetal MR imaging examinations corresponding to 31 subjects (27 vein of Galen malformations and 4 nongalenic AVF cases) were analyzed. Injury was observed in 8 subjects (26%) with 14 fetal examinations; the mean gestational age at identification of injury was 32.2 (SD 4.9) weeks. Structural abnormalities were present in all subjects with injury; restricted diffusion, in 5/7 subjects with available data; and T2* abnormalities, in all subjects with available data (n = 7). Radiologic progression was documented in all cases with follow-up imaging (n = 7). All subjects with fetal brain injury had a poor neonatal clinical outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Brain injury in fetuses with vein of Galen malformation and nongalenic AVFs shows a combination of structural abnormalities, restricted diffusion, and blooming on T2* images. Injury appears to portend a poor prognosis, with relentless progression and a likely association with adverse neonatal outcomes.
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Fístula Arteriovenosa , Lesões Encefálicas , Veias Cerebrais , Malformações da Veia de Galeno , Veias Cerebrais/anormalidades , Criança , Feto/diagnóstico por imagem , Humanos , Recém-Nascido , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética/métodos , Estudos Retrospectivos , Malformações da Veia de Galeno/complicações , Malformações da Veia de Galeno/diagnóstico por imagemRESUMO
Several works have proposed predictive models of the SEIRD (Susceptible, Exposed, Infected, Recovered, and Dead) variables to characterize the pandemic of COVID-19. One of the challenges of these models is to be able to follow the dynamics of the disease to make more precise predictions. In this paper, we propose an approach based on incremental learning to build predictive models of the SEIRD variables for the COVID-19 pandemic. Our incremental learning approach is a dynamic ensemble method based on a bagging scheme that allows the addition of new models or the updating of incremental models. The article proposes an incremental learning architecture composed of two components. The first component carries out an analysis of the interdependencies of the SEIRD variables and the second component is an incremental learning model that builds/updates the predictive models. The paper analyses the quality of the predictive models of our incremental learning approach using data of the COVID-19 from Colombia, and shows interesting results about the predictions of the SEIRD variables. These results are compared with an incremental learning approach based on random forests.
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The kinetics of monopersulfate based systems in the elimination of potential harmful contaminants has been assessed from a theoretical point of view. A detailed reaction mechanism sustained in the generation of radicals (mainly hydroxyl and sulfate), propagation and termination stages has been proposed. The system of first order differential equations derived has numerically been solved. The effect of main influencing parameters such as contaminant and peroxymonosulfate initial concentrations, intermediate generation, presence of organic matter, role played by anions, has been theoretically obtained. Discussion of simulated results has been accomplished by comparison with experimental data found in the literature. At the sight of the theoretical and empirical data, use of simplistic pseudo first order kinetics is discouraged. Despite considering a significant number of elemental reactions, modelling of the system reveals that a high fraction of them can be neglected due to their insignificant role played in the mechanism. The entire mechanism has been tested when peroxymonosulfate has been activated by UV radiation, although results can be fairly extrapolated to other activation strategies. Finally, a generic model capable of accounting for the effect of a diversity of parameters is proposed. No theoretical background is behind the model, however the generic model clearly improves the results obtained by simple first order kinetics.
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Poluentes Químicos da Água , Purificação da Água , Radical Hidroxila , Cinética , Oxirredução , Peróxidos , Sulfatos , Água , Poluentes Químicos da Água/análise , Purificação da Água/métodosRESUMO
While Indigenous food systems remain critical for community well-being, traditionally harvested foods are a potential source of toxic exposures. The Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) is seeking to restore shellfish harvesting in Burrard Inlet (British Columbia [BC], Canada), where the cumulative effects of industrial activity have nearly eliminated safe harvesting. The Trans Mountain Expansion project would triple the capacity to transport oil through the inlet, threatening TWN's progress to restore shellfish harvesting. To inform ongoing efforts we assessed contamination by heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury) and 48 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) congeners in different shellfish species (Softshell clams, Varnish clams, and Dungeness crab) in three areas. We compared our results against local screening values (SVs) established by the TWN and BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, as well as provincial and national benchmarks. In total, we analyzed 18 composite samples of Softshell clams and Varnish clams (5 individuals per sample), as well as 17 individual crabs. We found chemical contamination in all species at all sites. PAHs were most frequently detected in Softshell clams, highest in the site closest to the pipeline terminus. Clams presented higher levels of contamination than crabs for PAHs, but not for heavy metals. For Softshell and Varnish clams, all heavy metals across study sites exceeded at least one of the population-specific SVs. Of the 14 PAHs detected, benzo(a)pyrene presented a median concentration in Softshell clams of 3.25 µ/kg, exceeding local SV for subsistence fisher. Our results call for further assessment of human health impacts related to food harvesting within Burrard Inlet and establishing a long-term coordinated program co-led by the TWN to monitor contamination and inform future harvesting programs. The study draws attention to the need to consider locally-relevant toxicity benchmarks, and include potential health impacts of food contamination in appraising development project proposals.
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Hidrocarbonetos Policíclicos Aromáticos , Poluentes Químicos da Água , Baías , Colúmbia Britânica , Monitoramento Ambiental , Contaminação de Alimentos/análise , Inocuidade dos Alimentos , Humanos , Desenvolvimento Industrial , Hidrocarbonetos Policíclicos Aromáticos/análise , Frutos do Mar/análise , Poluentes Químicos da Água/análiseRESUMO
PACLOBUTRAZOL RESISTANCE (PRE) genes code atypical HLH transcriptional regulators characterized by the absence of a DNA-binding domain but present an HLH dimerization domain. In vegetative tissues, the function of these HLH proteins has been related with cell elongation processes. In strawberry, three FaPRE genes are expressed, two of them (FaPRE2 and FaPRE3) in vegetative tissues while FaPRE1 is fruit receptacle-specific. Ubiquitous FaPRE1 accumulation produced elongated flower receptacles and plants due to the elongation of the main aerial vegetative organs, with the exception of leaves. Histological analysis clearly demonstrated that the observed phenotype was due to significant changes in the parenchymal cell's morphology. In addition, transcriptomic studies of the transgenic elongated flower receptacles allowed to identify a small group of differentially expressed genes that encode cell wall-modifying enzymes. Together, the data seem to indicate that, in the strawberry plant vegetative organs, FaPRE proteins could modulate the expression of genes related with the determination of the size and shape of the parenchymal cells.
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Tamanho Celular , Fragaria/anatomia & histologia , Fragaria/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Fragaria/genética , Folhas de Planta/anatomia & histologia , Folhas de Planta/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Proteínas de Plantas/fisiologia , Produtos Agrícolas/anatomia & histologia , Produtos Agrícolas/genética , Produtos Agrícolas/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Expressão Ectópica do Gene , Regulação da Expressão Gênica de Plantas , Genes de Plantas , Folhas de Planta/genética , Proteínas de Plantas/genética , EspanhaRESUMO
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Little is known about microstructural development of cerebellar white matter in vivo. This study aimed to investigate developmental changes of the cerebellar peduncles in second- and third-trimester healthy fetuses using motion-corrected DTI and tractography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 3T data of 81 healthy fetuses were reviewed. Structural imaging consisted of multiplanar T2-single-shot sequences; DTI consisted of a series of 12-direction diffusion. A robust motion-tracked section-to-volume registration algorithm reconstructed images. ROI-based deterministic tractography was performed using anatomic landmarks described in postnatal tractography. Asymmetry was evaluated qualitatively with a perceived difference of >25% between sides. Linear regression evaluated gestational age as a predictor of tract volume, ADC, and fractional anisotropy. RESULTS: Twenty-four cases were excluded due to low-quality reconstructions. Fifty-eight fetuses with a median gestational age of 30.6 weeks (interquartile range, 7 weeks) were analyzed. The superior cerebellar peduncle was identified in 39 subjects (69%), and it was symmetric in 15 (38%). The middle cerebellar peduncle was identified in all subjects and appeared symmetric; in 13 subjects (22%), two distinct subcomponents were identified. The inferior cerebellar peduncle was not found in any subject. There was a significant increase in volume for the superior cerebellar peduncle and middle cerebellar peduncle (both, P < .05), an increase in fractional anisotropy (both, P < .001), and a decrease in ADC (both, P < .001) with gestational age. The middle cerebellar peduncle had higher volume (P < .001) and fractional anisotropy (P = .002) and lower ADC (P < .001) than the superior cerebellar peduncle after controlling for gestational age. CONCLUSIONS: A robust motion-tracked section-to-volume registration algorithm enabled deterministic tractography of the superior cerebellar peduncle and middle cerebellar peduncle in vivo and allowed characterization of developmental changes.
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Algoritmos , Cerebelo/embriologia , Imagem de Tensor de Difusão/métodos , Processamento de Imagem Assistida por Computador/métodos , Neurogênese , Feminino , Feto , Humanos , Masculino , Neurogênese/fisiologia , Gravidez , Terceiro Trimestre da Gravidez , Estudos RetrospectivosRESUMO
New technologies to address the presence of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) in wastewater are needed, especially in those cases in which water will be reused. In this work, the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) with simulated solar radiation has been applied to the oxidation of a mixture of six PPCPs, i.e. caffeine, primidone, N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET), methylparaben, clofibric acid and ibuprofen. The sole application of solar radiation, i.e. solar photolysis, only led to the oxidation of clofibric acid (complete degradation in 90 min). The combination of PMS and solar radiation resulted in the degradation of all target micropollutants. The complete degradation of this mixture at initial 100 ppb was achieved with 0.5 mM of initial PMS after 90 min. A kinetic study that acceptably simulates the experimental data under different conditions has been proposed. The effects of initial PPCP concentration (1 mg L-1-100 µg L-1), PMS dose (0.1-5 mM), and pH (3-9) were tested and kinetically simulated. Finally, the PPCPs removal study was carried out in two real water matrices (river and a secondary effluent of an urban wastewater treatment plant). A higher dose of PMS, ten times higher, was required to achieve complete degradation of the micropollutants if compared to ultrapure water.
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Peróxidos , Poluentes Químicos da Água , Purificação da Água , Água , Poluentes Químicos da Água/análiseRESUMO
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the morphology and angulation of the styloid process (SP), analyzing results stratified by gender, side and age on asymptomatic patients. We retrospectively analyzed 99 high-resolution computed tomography study images from asymptomatic patients. The images were assessed intra-observatory by a head and neck expert radiologist. Data for length, morphology, and angulation in a coronal and sagittal plane were recorded and stratified by age and gender. Morphology was classified according to the Langlais modified by Guimares classification. The mean lengths were 31.67±0.97mm and 31.64±0.90mm for the right and left sides respectively. Using the Langlais modified by Guimares classification, the normal type was the most prevalent and without a statistically significant difference when comparing between genders. A total of 27.6% presented a morphologically elongated SP (>25mm of continuous process), 49.5% presented a radiologically elongated SP (>30mm), and a total of 9.59% had a longer length than the proposed≤45mm. The right transverse angle was greater in men than women, and a statistically significant difference was found (P=0.010). We show the morphological variability of the SP. Although our results are reported with the traditional definition, the high prevalence supports the need for a new definition of elongated SP and a normal angulation ranges.
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Variação Anatômica , Ossificação Heterotópica/diagnóstico , Osso Temporal/anormalidades , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Doenças Assintomáticas/epidemiologia , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Ossificação Heterotópica/epidemiologia , Prevalência , Estudos Retrospectivos , Osso Temporal/diagnóstico por imagem , Tomografia Computadorizada por Raios X , Adulto JovemRESUMO
This work investigates the potential of the combination of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) and simulated solar radiation (λâ¯>â¯300â¯nm) to remove bezafibrate from aqueous solution. Different solar light filters indicate a higher removal efficiency as the wavelength range used moves to the more energetic region of the solar spectrum. The system PMS/Daylight (300-800â¯nm) eliminates bezafibrate (1â¯mgâ¯L-1) in less than 30â¯min under the best conditions used in this study (CPMSâ¯=â¯4·10-4â¯M) with no pH control (acidic pH). The efficiency of the process significantly improves under alkaline conditions (pHâ¯=â¯10), likely due to a higher PMS photolysis rate. Experiments conducted at different initial concentration of PMS and bezafibrate suggest first order regarding PMS and different from 1 in the case of bezafibrate. Intermediates generated at the beginning of the process have been tentatively identified to propose a hypothetical reaction pathway and to estimate their toxicity.
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Bezafibrato , Poluentes Químicos da Água , Oxirredução , Peróxidos , Luz SolarRESUMO
Wastewater from a real biodiesel plant located in the province of Badajoz (Spain) has been treated by means of the Wet air oxidation (WAO) process. The effluent was slightly acidic (pH = 5.77) with a high content of chemical oxygen demand (COD) (43.1 g L-1) mainly of organic nature (CTOC = 10.5 g L-1). The low biodegradability of this effluent (relation biological-chemical oxygen demand BOD/COD = 8.6 × 10-3), suggests the suitability to be treated by WAO oxidation. The main WAO operational variables (oxygen pressure, temperature and pH), the use of homogeneous catalysis (Cu2+), or the addition of oxidant promoters (H2O2 or peroxymonosulfate (PMS)) were explored. From the results obtained, oxygen pressure exerted a positive effect while temperature was a crucial variable in the oxidation of the most recalcitrant organics. Although alkaline pH led to an improved behavior in terms of COD and TOC removals, the lack of aromatic compounds elimination (absorbance at 254 nm) suggests the preference to oxidize non-aromatic compounds. Addition of radical promoters resulted in a positive effect. Peroxymonopersufate was more efficient than H2O2 in the promoted experimental series. Under the optimum oxidation conditions used in this study, removals of 55% in COD, 45% in TOC and 86% in aromatic compounds were experienced.
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Biocombustíveis , Oxirredução , Peróxidos/química , Águas Residuárias/química , Biodegradação Ambiental , Análise da Demanda Biológica de Oxigênio , Catálise , Peróxido de Hidrogênio/química , Concentração de Íons de Hidrogênio , Oxigênio/química , Espanha , TemperaturaRESUMO
This study investigates the efficacy of the system O3/sunlight radiation compared to dark ozonation when treating pharmaceuticals compounds of different reactivity, namely bezafibrate, cotinine, and iopamidol. Results show the beneficial effects of simulated sunlight radiation (300-800â¯nm) when treating ozone recalcitrant compounds such as cotinine and iopamidol. The system O3/sunlight radiation increased mineralization extent in all cases if compared to dark ozonation. Transformation products identified in individual runs suggest that amine oxidation and further alkyl chain attack is the main route of bezafibrate ozonation. Hydroxylation seems to be the preferential path in cotinine abatement while H abstraction from alcoholic moieties is suggested in the case of iopamidol. Toxicity of intermediates was approximately evaluated by QSAR methodologies and experimentally through Daphnia Magna survival after 24â¯h. As a rule of thumb, initial intermediates generated are even more toxic than parent compounds, however, after 120â¯min of treatment, toxicity significantly decreased. Amongst the most toxic compounds generated: 4-Chlorobenzoyltyramine, and 4-Chloro-N-[2-(3,4-dihydroxy-phenyl)-ethyl]-benzamide (from bezafibrate), and N-(2-Hydroxy-1-hydroxymethyl-ethyl)-N'-(1-hydroxymethyl-2-oxo-ethyl)-5-(2-hydroxy-propionylamino)-2,4,6-triiodo-isophthalamide, N,N'-Bis-(1-hydroxymethyl-2-oxo-ethyl)-5-(2-hydroxy-propionylamino)-2,4,6-triiodo-isophthalamide, and N-(1-Hydroxymethyl-2-oxo-ethyl)-5-(2-hydroxy-propionylamino)-2,4,6-triiodo-isophthalamide (from iopamidol) were identified.
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Ozônio , Poluentes Químicos da Água , Purificação da Água , Animais , Bezafibrato , Cotinina , Iopamidol , Oxirredução , Luz SolarRESUMO
This work reports the combination of ozone and solar radiation as an advanced oxidation process to remove the herbicide tritosufuron (TSF) in water. Firstly, the recalcitrance of TSF has been assessed, obtaining an ozonation second order rate constant of 5-154â¯M-1â¯min-1 in the range of pH from 5 to 8; while the rate constant with HO was found to be (1.8-3.1)·109â¯M-1â¯s-1. Secondly, the simultaneous application of simulated solar radiation in between 300 and 800â¯nm and ozone resulted positive in the oxidation rate of TSF. Mineralization extent was also higher. Less effective oxidation was achieved after limiting the radiation to the range 360-800â¯nm or 390-800â¯nm; also completely inappropriate for mineralization. Thirdly, the detected transformation products (TPs) demonstrated the vulnerability of TSF molecule to be attacked by HO in the sulfonylurea bridge. The combination of ozone and radiation of 300-800â¯nm led to the most effective removal of the TPs. Finally, after the photolytic ozonation treatment toxicity was also evaluated in terms of phytotoxicity towards the germination and root elongation of Lactuca Sativa seeds, and toxicity by immobilization tests of Daphnia Magna.
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Ozônio , Poluentes Químicos da Água , Animais , Hidrocarbonetos Fluorados , Oxirredução , Fotólise , Triazinas , Ureia/análogos & derivadosRESUMO
Deciphering the mechanism of functioning of DNA as the carrier of genetic information requires identifying inherent factors determining its structure and function. Following this path, our previous DFT studies attributed the origin of unique conformational characteristics of right-handed Watson-Crick duplexes (WCDs) to the conformational profile of deoxydinucleoside monophosphates (dDMPs) serving as the minimal repeating units of DNA strand. According to those findings, the directionality of the sugar-phosphate chain and the characteristic ranges of dihedral angles of energy minima combined with the geometric differences between purines and pyrimidines determine the dependence on base sequence of the three-dimensional (3D) structure of WCDs. This work extends our computational study to complementary deoxydinucleotide-monophosphates (cdDMPs) of non-standard conformation, including those of Z-family, Hoogsteen duplexes, parallel-stranded structures, and duplexes with mispaired bases. For most of these systems, except Z-conformation, computations closely reproduce experimental data within the tolerance of characteristic limits of dihedral parameters for each conformation family. Computation of cdDMPs with Z-conformation reveals that their experimental structures do not correspond to the internal energy minimum. This finding establishes the leading role of external factors in formation of the Z-conformation. Energy minima of cdDMPs of non-Watson-Crick duplexes demonstrate different sequence-dependence features than those known for WCDs. The obtained results provide evidence that the biologically important regularities of 3D structure distinguish WCDs from duplexes having non-Watson-Crick nucleotide pairing.
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Simulação por Computador , DNA/química , Conformação de Ácido Nucleico , Modelos Moleculares , Teoria QuânticaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Bacteraemia is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in patients admitted to hospital. The aim of this study is to analyse the results of a two-year programme for the early optimisation of antibiotic treatment in patients admitted to the Costa del Sol Hospital (Marbella. Spain). METHODS: A prospective two-year cohort study was conducted, evaluating all episodes of bacteraemia at the Costa del Sol Hospital. Epidemiological and microbiological characteristics, any modification of the initial antibiotic treatment, prognostic risk stratification, early mortality related to the episode of bacteraemia, and mortality after the seventh day, were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Seven hundred seventy-three episodes of bacteraemia were treated, 61.6% males and 38.4% females. The mean age was 65.2 years. The condition was most commonly acquired in the community (41.4%). The bacteraemia was most frequently urological in nature (30.5%), and E coli was the microorganism most frequently isolated (31.6%). In 51.1% of the episodes, a modification was made to optimise the treatment. In the first week, 8.2% died from bacteraemia, and 4.5% had died when they were located. The highest rates of death were associated with older patients, nosocomial acquisition, no source, McCabe score rapidly fatal, Charlson index ≥3, Pitt index ≥3 and treatment remained unmodified. CONCLUSION: The existence of bacteraemia control programmes and teams composed of clinicians who are experienced in the treatment of infectious diseases, can improve the disease outcome by enabling more severe episodes of bacteraemia to be recognised and their empirical treatment optimised.
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Antibacterianos/uso terapêutico , Bacteriemia/tratamento farmacológico , Bacteriemia/mortalidade , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Bacteriemia/microbiologia , Infecção Hospitalar/microbiologia , Infecção Hospitalar/mortalidade , Infecção Hospitalar/prevenção & controle , Intervenção Médica Precoce/métodos , Intervenção Médica Precoce/estatística & dados numéricos , Escherichia coli/isolamento & purificação , Escherichia coli/patogenicidade , Infecções por Escherichia coli/sangue , Infecções por Escherichia coli/tratamento farmacológico , Infecções por Escherichia coli/mortalidade , Feminino , Hospitais/estatística & dados numéricos , Humanos , Controle de Infecções/métodos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Prognóstico , Estudos Prospectivos , Fatores de Risco , Espanha/epidemiologia , Adulto JovemRESUMO
BACKGROUND: MEK1 (MAP2K1) and MEK2 (MAP2K2) are closely related dual-specificity protein kinases which function by phosphorylating both serine/threonine and tyrosine residues of their substrates ERK1 and ERK2, controlling fundamental cellular processes that include cell growth and proliferation. To investigate the prognostic significance of pMEK expression in the nucleus and cytoplasm among patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer treated with concurrent radiochemotherapy. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was performed on the retrieved archival tissue of 96 patients to detect pMEK, p53 and Ki-67. RESULTS: Sixty-six percent of patients were positive for pMEK expression in the nucleus and 41 % in cytoplasm. On univariate analysis, high nuclear pMEK was predictive of worse 5y-DFS and 5y-OS, with a trend to significance (26 % vs. 41 %, p = 0.09; 36 % vs. 47 %, p = 0.07). High cytoplasmic pMEK was predictive of better 5-y OS and 5-y DFS outcomes (61 % vs. 27 %, p = 0.01; 46 % vs. 22 %, p = 0.02). On multivariate analysis, low cytoplasmic pMEK and high nuclear pMEK predicted worse DFS and OS (p = 0.01; p = 0.04 and p = 0.02; p = 0.02 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Subcellular localisation of pMEK has different prognosis in locally advanced head and neck cancer treated with radiochemotherapy.
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MAP Quinases Reguladas por Sinal Extracelular/metabolismo , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/metabolismo , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/mortalidade , Adulto , Idoso , Biomarcadores , Quimiorradioterapia , MAP Quinases Reguladas por Sinal Extracelular/genética , Feminino , Expressão Gênica , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/patologia , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/terapia , Humanos , Imuno-Histoquímica , Estimativa de Kaplan-Meier , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Estadiamento de Neoplasias , Fosforilação , Prognóstico , Transporte Proteico , Fatores de Risco , Transdução de SinaisRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Evidence for the effectiveness of linezolid in neurosurgical infections (NSIs) is growing. The comfortable oral dosage and tolerance of linezolid opens the possibility for sequential antimicrobial treatment (SAT) in stable patients after a period of intravenous treatment. METHODS: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of SAT with oral linezolid in patients with NSI and to analyse the cost implications, an observational, non-comparative, prospective cohort study was conducted on clinically stable consecutive adult patients at the Neurosurgical Service. Following intravenous treatment, patients were discharged with SAT with oral linezolid. RESULTS: A total of 77 patients were included. The most common NSIs were: 41 surgical wound infections, 20 subdural empyemas, 18 epidural abscesses, and 16 brain abscesses. Forty-four percent of patients presented two or more concomitant NSIs. Aetiological agents commonly isolated were: Propionibacterium acnes (36 %), Staphylococcus aureus (23 %), Staphylococcus epidermidis (21 %) and Streptococcus spp. (13 %). The median duration of the SAT was 15 days (range, 3-42). The SAT was interrupted in five cases due to adverse events. The remainder of the patients were cured at the end of the SAT. A total of 1,163 days of hospitalisation were saved. An overall cost reduction of 516,188 was attributed to the SAT. Eight patients with device infections did not require removal of the device, with an additional cost reduction of 190,595. The mean cost saving per patient was 9,179. CONCLUSIONS: SAT with linezolid was safe and effective for the treatment of NSI. SAT reduces hospitalisation times, which means significant savings of health and economic resources.
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Antibacterianos/efeitos adversos , Custos e Análise de Custo , Linezolida/efeitos adversos , Procedimentos Neurocirúrgicos/efeitos adversos , Infecções Estafilocócicas/prevenção & controle , Infecção da Ferida Cirúrgica/prevenção & controle , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Antibacterianos/administração & dosagem , Antibacterianos/economia , Feminino , Humanos , Linezolida/administração & dosagem , Linezolida/economia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Procedimentos Neurocirúrgicos/métodos , Infecções Estafilocócicas/tratamento farmacológico , Infecções Estafilocócicas/etiologia , Infecção da Ferida Cirúrgica/tratamento farmacológicoRESUMO
Oxone(®) (potassium monopersulfate, MPS) has been used to oxidize the herbicide tembotrione in aqueous solution. Tembotrione elimination kinetics by MPS direct oxidation has been studied. The influence of the main operating variables affecting the process (MPS concentration, temperature and pH) has been evaluated. The process follows 2/3 and first orders in MPS and tembotrione concentrations, respectively. Optimal pH is located around circumneutral conditions. MPS decomposition in the presence of 365 nm UVA radiation and titanium dioxide has also been studied. A kinetic mechanism that simulates MPS decomposition has been proposed, showing the positive effect of titania load and MPS concentration. The system MPS/UVA/TiO2 significantly improves tembotrione and mineralization rate abatement if compared to runs conducted in the absence of MPS. Tembotrione total abatement was achieved in 20 min when 0.05 g L(-1) of titania and 10(-4) M of Oxone(®) were used. TOC conversion was roughly 70% in 90 min under similar operating conditions. An experimental design (Plackett-Burman) has been considered to study the influence of the main variables affecting tembotrione photocatalytic oxidation promoted by MPS.
Assuntos
Cicloexanonas/química , Herbicidas/química , Compostos de Potássio/química , Sulfatos/química , Sulfonas/química , Catálise , Desenho de Equipamento , Concentração de Íons de Hidrogênio , Cinética , Oxirredução , Processos Fotoquímicos , Titânio/química , Raios Ultravioleta , Eliminação de Resíduos Líquidos/instrumentação , Eliminação de Resíduos Líquidos/métodos , Poluentes Químicos da Água/químicaRESUMO
It is generally accepted that the important characteristic features of the Watson-Crick duplex originate from the molecular structure of its subunits. However, it still remains to elucidate what properties of each subunit are responsible for the significant characteristic features of the DNA structure. The computations of desoxydinucleoside monophosphates complexes with Na-ions using density functional theory revealed a pivotal role of DNA conformational properties of single-chain minimal fragments in the development of unique features of the Watson-Crick duplex. We found that directionality of the sugar-phosphate backbone and the preferable ranges of its torsion angles, combined with the difference between purines and pyrimidines. in ring bases, define the dependence of three-dimensional structure of the Watson-Crick duplex on nucleotide base sequence. In this work, we extended these density functional theory computations to the minimal' fragments of DNA duplex, complementary desoxydinucleoside monophosphates complexes with Na-ions. Using several computational methods and various functionals, we performed a search for energy minima of BI-conformation for complementary desoxydinucleoside monophosphates complexes with different nucleoside sequences. Two sequences are optimized using ab initio method at the MP2/6-31++G** level of theory. The analysis of torsion angles, sugar ring puckering and mutual base positions of optimized structures demonstrates that the conformational characteristic features of complementary desoxydinucleoside monophosphates complexes with Na-ions remain within BI ranges and become closer to the corresponding characteristic features of the Watson-Crick duplex crystals. Qualitatively, the main characteristic features of each studied complementary desoxydinucleoside monophosphates complex remain invariant when different computational methods are used, although the quantitative values of some conformational parameters could vary lying within the limits typical for the corresponding family. We observe that popular functionals in density functional theory calculations lead to the overestimated distances between base pairs, while MP2 computations and the newer complex functionals produce the structures that have too close atom-atom contacts. A detailed study of some complementary desoxydinucleoside monophosphate complexes with Na-ions highlights the existence of several energy minima corresponding to BI-conformations, in other words, the complexity of the relief pattern of the potential energy surface of complementary desoxydinucleoside monophosphate complexes. This accounts for variability of conformational parameters of duplex fragments with the same base sequence. Popular molecular mechanics force fields AMBER and CHARMM reproduce most of the conformational characteristics of desoxydinucleoside monophosphates and their complementary complexes with Na-ions but fail to reproduce some details of the dependence of the Watson-Crick duplex conformation on the nucleotide sequence.