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The southeastern Bay of Biscay has been described as a "dead end" for floating marine litter, often accumulating along small-scale linear streaks. Coastal Current Convergence Structures (CCS), often associated with vertical motions at river plume edges, estuarine fronts, or other physical processes, can be at the origin of the accumulation. Understanding the formation of CCS and their role in the transport of marine litter is essential to better quantify and to help mitigate marine litter pollution. The Lagrangian framework, used to estimate the absolute dispersion, and the finite-size Lyapunov exponents (FSLE), have proved very effective for identifying CCS in the current velocity field. However, the quality of CCS identification depends strongly on the Eulerian fields. Two surface current velocity data sets were used in the analysis: the remotely sensed velocities from the EuskOOS High-Frequency Radar (HFR) network and velocities from three-dimensional model outputs. They were complemented by drifting buoy velocity measurements. An optimization method, involving the fusion of drifting buoys and HFR velocities is proposed to better reconstruct the fine-scale structure of the current velocity field. Merging these two sources of velocity data reduced the mean Lagrangian error and the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) by 50 % and 30 % respectively, significantly improving velocity reconstruction. FSLE ridgelines obtained from the Lagrangian analysis of optimized velocities were compared with remotely sensed concentrations of Chlorophyll-a. It was shown that ridgelines control the spatial distribution of phytoplankton. They fundamentally represent the CCS which can potentially affect marine litter aggregation. Analysis of the absolute dispersion revealed large stirring in the alongshore direction which was also confirmed by spatial distribution of FSLE ridgelines. The alignment between FSLE ridgelines and patterns of high Chlorophyll-a concentration was observed, often determining the limits of river plume expansion in the study area.
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To explore the modulating role of unmet support needs on the relationship between age and the prevalence of cancer-related distress in colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors. Two hundred and forty four participants completed the questionnaires; linear regression and odd ratios were calculated. Both the prevalence of needs and their interaction with age were predictors of cancer-related distress. The risk of significant clinically distress associated with physical and socio/family needs was high in both age subgroups. Higher risk of clinical distress was associated with life perspective, sexual, occupational and health care needs in the younger subgroup and with needs for specific support resources in the older subgroup. In reducing cancer-related distress, two key issues arise: (i) the importance of managing the persistent negative symptoms following CRC treatment in survivors of any age and (ii) the need for a differentiated attention to other care needs based on the survivor's age.
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Lignin, a complex phenolic polymer crucial for plant structure, is mostly used as fuel but it can be harnessed for environmentally friendly applications. This article explores ozonation as a green method for lignin extraction from lignocellulosic biomass, aiming to uncover the benefits of the extracted lignin. A pilot-scale ozonation reactor was employed to extract lignin from Miscanthus giganteus (a grass variety) and vine shoots (a woody biomass). The study examined the lignin extraction and modification of the fractions and identified the generation of phenolic and organic acids. About 48 % of lignin was successfully extracted from both biomass types. Phenolic monomers were produced, vine shoots yielding fewer monomers than Miscanthus giganteus. Ozonation generated homogeneous lignin oligomers, although their molecular weight decreased during ozonation, with vine shoot oligomers exhibiting greater resistance to ozone. Extracted fractions were stable at 200 °C, despite the low molecular weight, outlining the potential of these phenolic fractions.
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Lignina , Ozônio , Brotos de Planta , Poaceae , Lignina/química , Poaceae/química , Ozônio/química , Ozônio/farmacologia , Projetos Piloto , Brotos de Planta/química , Biomassa , Reatores Biológicos , Peso Molecular , FenóisRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Tooth loss (TL) affects quality of life and general health. The literature suggesting that tamoxifen treatment in patients with breast cancer (BC) could be associated with alterations in oral health, increasing the risk of TL, is still scarce. This work aimed to determine the relationship between TL and tamoxifen consumption in patients with BC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional observational study was carried out from July to September 2023 in the medical oncology services of the "Virgen de la Puerta" - ESSALUD High Complexity Hospital and "Dr. Luis Pinillos Ganoza" - IREN Norte - Regional Institute of Neoplastic Diseases, in Trujillo - Peru. Overall, 200 adult patients diagnosed with BC were evaluated, of which 100 consumed tamoxifen and 100 did not. Inter- and intra-rater reliability was determined with respect to TL, resulting in intra-class correlation values RHO = 0.971 and interclass RHO = 0.938. The oncologist of the corresponding service performed BC diagnosis and stage. Poisson regression was used to analyze results with a significance level of p<0.05. RESULTS: No relationship was found between TL and tamoxifen consumption in patients with breast cancer (p= 0.221); however, greater TL was observed in women who consumed tamoxifen for more than one year compared to those who did not use it (p=0.025) and in older adult women compared to young women (p=0.030). CONCLUSIONS: There is a relationship between TL and time of use of tamoxifen in patients with BC, concluding that patients who consumed tamoxifen for more than one year had greater TL than those who did not. Furthermore, no relationship was found between TL and cancer stages, but there was greater TL in older adult patients and also in those who consumed tamoxifen and did not receive chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
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Antineoplásicos Hormonais , Neoplasias da Mama , Tamoxifeno , Perda de Dente , Humanos , Tamoxifeno/uso terapêutico , Tamoxifeno/efeitos adversos , Estudos Transversais , Neoplasias da Mama/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias da Mama/complicações , Feminino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Antineoplásicos Hormonais/uso terapêutico , Antineoplásicos Hormonais/efeitos adversos , Perda de Dente/etiologia , Idoso , AdultoRESUMO
In this manuscript, a 3D-printed analytical device has been successfully developed to classify illicit drugs using smartphone-based colorimetry. Representative compounds of different families, including cocaine, 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA), amphetamine and cathinone derivatives, pyrrolidine cathinones, and 3,4-methylenedioxy cathinones, have been analyzed and classified after appropriate reaction with Marquis, gallic acid, sulfuric acid, Simon and Scott reagents. A picture of the colored products was acquired using a smartphone, and the corrected RGB values were used as input data in the chemometric treatment. ANN using two active layers of nodes (6 nodes in layer 1 and 2 nodes in layer 2) with a sigmoidal transfer function and a minimum strict threshold of 0.50 identified illicit drug samples with a sensitivity higher than 83.4 % and a specificity of 100 % with limits of detection in the microgram range. The 3D printed device can operate connected to a rechargeable lithium-ion cell portable battery, is inexpensive, and requires minimal training. The analytical device has been able to discriminate the analyzed psychoactive substances from cutting and mixing agents, being a useful tool for law enforcement agents to use as a screening method.
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Drogas Ilícitas , Redes Neurais de Computação , Impressão Tridimensional , Smartphone , Drogas Ilícitas/análise , Colorimetria/instrumentação , Colorimetria/métodos , Detecção do Abuso de Substâncias/métodos , Detecção do Abuso de Substâncias/instrumentação , HumanosRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of a therapeutic intervention based on self-adjustment strategies for improving of symptomatic severity and quality of life. METHODS: The study was a randomised single-blind clinical trial. Quality of life, disability, and functional impairment were collected. The control group received a leaflet with information on the main symptoms of Long-COVID-19 syndrome, in addition to standard medical treatment. The intervention group received treatment following a dual approach; on the one hand, monitoring and recognition of symptomatology and on the other hand, adaptation and functional improvement. RESULTS: A total of 54 participants were included, 27 were included in the intervention group and 27 in the control group. At the beginning of the study, no significant differences were found between groups. After intervention, the quality of life variable showed significant differences between groups in the self-care and anxiety/depression dimensions. Significant between-groups differences were also found for the self-care subscale of the disability variable. The intervention group showed significant differences from baseline on some subscales of the quality of life, disability, and functional impairment variables. CONCLUSION: Strategies based on lifestyle adjustments are adequate for the improvement of quality of life and symptom severity in the long COVID-19 population. PRACTICE IMPLICATION: The findings suggest that applying an intervention focused in self-adjustment for long COVID patients can have positive effects.
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COVID-19 , Qualidade de Vida , Humanos , Síndrome de COVID-19 Pós-Aguda , Método Simples-Cego , Estilo de Vida , Doença CrônicaRESUMO
Most feed manufacturers in the United States use the same mixing time (and thus mix uniformity) throughout the growing period regardless of age and consumption patterns. However, research evaluating the optimum mixing time requirements and novel analysis methods, such as in-line near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, on the coefficient of variation (CV) and growth performance of broilers throughout the production phases is sparse. Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of marker selection, in-line NIR, and varying mix times on mix uniformity, broiler growth performance, and body weight uniformity from 1 to 42 d of age. Feed was manufactured utilizing a 1,815-kg counterpoise ribbon mixer. In both experiments, feed was mixed for 4.5 min (3 min dry mix and 90 s of wet mix) and 30 s (0 s dry mix and 30 s wet mix) to obtain a standard mix (SM) and an abbreviated mix (AM), respectively. Experiment 1 constituted a 2 × 2 × 4 factorial arrangement of 2 mix times, (4.5 and 0.5 min), 2 batch sizes (908 and 1,815 kg), and 4 methodologies to evaluate mixer performance (sodium chloride, Microtracers (Red#40 and Blue#40), and in-line NIR). In experiment 2, broilers received different mix time combinations: 1) SM from 1 to 42 d, 2) SM from 1 to 28 d and AM from 28 to 42 d, 3) SM from 1 to 14 d and AM from 14 to 42 d, and 4) AM from 1 to 42 d. In both experiments, selecting a single source marker provided a more accurate estimation of mixer CV in SM and AM diets (P < 0.05). In experiment 2, mix time did not influence BW, feed intake (FI), FCR, or individual bird BW CV from 1 to 42 d of age (P > 0.05). These data indicated that mixer CV differed depending on total mix time and methodology used and diets with a reduced mix time may not necessarily influence growth performance and BW uniformity during the starter, grower, and finisher periods of broilers.
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Galinhas , Espectroscopia de Luz Próxima ao Infravermelho , Animais , Espectroscopia de Luz Próxima ao Infravermelho/veterinária , Fenômenos Fisiológicos da Nutrição Animal , Dieta , Peso Corporal , Ração Animal/análiseRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is western countries' most important cause of hepatic steatosis and hypertransaminasemia. The objective was to evaluate the prevalence of NAFLD among 261,025 people in the East Valladolid public healthcare area in Spain. METHODS: We randomly selected 1800 participants from a public healthcare system card database, representing most of the population. We performed a medical record, measurement of anthropometric parameters, abdominal ultrasound, and blood tests to rule out hepatic disease in all patients. We calculated the FLI score in all patients. RESULTS: 448 participants agreed to participate in the study. The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in our study was 22.3% [18.5%-26.2%]. Prevalence was highest between 50 and 70 years, increasing with age (p < 0.006). There were no significant differences in sex (p = 0.338). The median Body mass index was 27.2, and NAFLD was related to the weight (p < 0,001) and abdominal perimeter (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed GGT lower than 26 UI/ml, body mass index higher than 31, and HOMA IR greater than 2.54 as independent factors to predict NAFLD in the sample. NAFLD diagnosis matched with an elevated FLI score in 88% of cases. CONCLUSION: According to other epidemiological studies, NAFLD's prevalence is very high. A complete study with a clinical consultation, image studies, and blood tests in all patients allows us to assess the prevalence of NAFLD in the population.
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Hepatopatia Gordurosa não Alcoólica , Humanos , Hepatopatia Gordurosa não Alcoólica/diagnóstico , Hepatopatia Gordurosa não Alcoólica/epidemiologia , Prevalência , Índice de Massa Corporal , Abdome , UltrassonografiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Having a job has been associated with better Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) in cancer survivors. However, the sociodemographic and disease-related profiles characterizing the survivors being employed and those having better HRQOL largely overlap. The present study aims to discern the degree to which employment status is independently associated with cancer survivors' HRQOL or if it mainly reflects the impact of other sociodemographic and cancer-related variables. METHODS: Cross-sectional study on a heterogeneous sample of 772 working-age survivors of adult-onset cancer. An instrument specifically designed to assess HRQOL in cancer survivors and Multivariate Variance Analysis (MANOVA) were used. RESULTS: Survival phase, cancer type, and employment status showed the main effects on cancer survivors' HRQOL. In particular, being employed (vs unemployed) had the greatest positive association with HRQOL, affecting ten of the twelve HRQOL domains considered. Also, interaction effects highlighted the role of age (younger) and marital status (single) as risk factors for a greater negative impact of variables affecting the survivor's HRQOL. CONCLUSIONS: The application of a multivariate methodology sheds new light on two relevant issues for the cancer survivor's HRQOL: (i) the existence of differences between diagnostic groups that are not attributed to other variables such as sex, and (ii) the important and independent role that employment status plays. Comprehensive cancer survivorship care should focus more on high-risk groups and include having a job as an essential aspect to consider and prompt. The fact that the employment status is susceptible to change represents a valuable opportunity to care for the wellbeing of this population.
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Sobreviventes de Câncer , Neoplasias , Adulto , Humanos , Qualidade de Vida , Estudos Transversais , Emprego , Sobreviventes , Neoplasias/epidemiologiaRESUMO
The coupling of light to electrical charge carriers in semiconductors is the foundation of many technological applications. Attosecond transient absorption spectroscopy measures simultaneously how excited electrons and the vacancies they leave behind dynamically react to the applied optical fields. In compound semiconductors, these dynamics can be probed via any of their atomic constituents with core-level transitions into valence and conduction band. Typically, the atomic species forming the compound contribute comparably to the relevant electronic properties of the material. One therefore expects to observe similar dynamics, irrespective of the choice of atomic species via which it is probed. Here, we show in the two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide semiconductor MoSe2, that through a selenium-based core-level transition we observe charge carriers acting independently from each other, while when probed through molybdenum, the collective, many-body motion of the carriers dominates. Such unexpectedly contrasting behavior can be explained by a strong localization of electrons around molybdenum atoms following absorption of light, which modifies the local fields acting on the carriers. We show that similar behavior in elemental titanium metal [M. Volkov et al., Nat. Phys. 15, 1145-1149 (2019)] carries over to transition metal-containing compounds and is expected to play an essential role for a wide range of such materials. Knowledge of independent particle and collective response is essential for fully understanding these materials.
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OBJECTIVE: Comirnaty® is an mRNA vaccine against COVID-19 which has been administered to millions of people since the end of 2020. Our aim was to study epidemiological and clinical factors influencing reactogenicity and functional limitation after the first two doses of the vaccine in health care workers (HCWs). METHODS: Prospective post-authorization cohort study to monitor safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. RESULTS: Local side effects were mild and presented both with first and second dose of Comirnaty. Systemic side effects were more frequent after 2nd dose. Nevertheless, previous SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with systemic effects after the first dose of the vaccine (OR ranging from 2 to 6). No severe adverse effects were reported. According to multivariate analysis, the degree of self-reported functional limitation after the first dose increased with age, female sex, previous COVID-19 contact, previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). After the second dose, the degree of functional limitation observed was lower in those with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, and it was positively associated to the degree of functional limitation after the first dose. CONCLUSIONS: Systemic adverse effects were more frequent after the second dose of Comirnaty. Previous SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with systemic effects after the first dose. Age, female sex, previous COVID-19, previous isolation due to COVID-19 contact, and CCI showed to be independent predictors of the degree of functional limitation after the 1st dose of Comirnaty®. After the 2nd dose, the degree of functional limitation was lower in those who previously had SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Vacinas contra COVID-19 , COVID-19 , Efeitos Colaterais e Reações Adversas Relacionados a Medicamentos , Vacinas , Feminino , Humanos , Vacina BNT162 , Estudos de Coortes , COVID-19/epidemiologia , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , Vacinas contra COVID-19/administração & dosagem , Vacinas contra COVID-19/efeitos adversos , Pessoal de Saúde , Hospitais de Ensino , Estudos Prospectivos , SARS-CoV-2 , UniversidadesRESUMO
We visualized negative refraction of phonon polaritons, which occurs at the interface between two natural crystals. The polaritons-hybrids of infrared photons and lattice vibrations-form collimated rays that display negative refraction when passing through a planar interface between the two hyperbolic van der Waals materials: molybdenum oxide (MoO3) and isotopically pure hexagonal boron nitride (h11BN). At a special frequency ω0, these rays can circulate along closed diamond-shaped trajectories. We have shown that polariton eigenmodes display regions of both positive and negative dispersion interrupted by multiple gaps that result from polaritonic-level repulsion and strong coupling.
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In this work, nanostructured pectin aerogels were prepared via a sol-gel process and subsequent drying under supercritical conditions. To this end, three commercially available citrus pectins and an in-house produced and enzymatically modified watermelon rind pectin (WRP) were compared. Then, the effect of pectin's structure and composition on the aerogel properties were analysed and its potential application as a delivery system was explored by impregnating them with vanillin. Results showed that the molecular weight, degree of esterification and branching degree of the pectin samples played a main role in the production of hydrogels and subsequent aerogels. The developed aerogel particles showed high specific surface areas (468-584 m2/g) and low bulk density (0.025-0.10 g/cm3). The shrinkage effect during aerogel formation was significantly affected by the pectin concentration and structure, while vanillin loading in aerogels and its release profile was also seen to be influenced by the affinity between pectin and vanillin. Furthermore, the results highlight the interest of WRP as a carrier of active compounds which might have potential application in food and biomedical areas, among others.
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Portadores de Fármacos , Sistemas de Liberação de Medicamentos , Portadores de Fármacos/química , Pectinas/química , HidrogéisRESUMO
To explore the modulatory role of Adjuvant Hormone Therapy (AHT) on health-related quality of life (QoL), subjective well-being and distress prevalence in Breast Cancer (BC) survivors, considering the survival phase. Cross-sectional study with control group. 616 BC survivors participated. Examination of interaction effect between AHT and time since end of primary treatment showed that many of the positive changes observed through the survival phases were experienced exclusively by survivors without AHT. When AHT was not prescribed, longer time elapsed was associated with a decrease in distress prevalence and an improvement in subjective well-being and QoL. It seems there is a turning point around the fifth year after finalization of primary treatment, from which the survivors without AHT significantly improve in several areas and those with AHT do so to a lesser extent. It is expected that the improvement in QoL throughout the different survival phases will have a significant impact on the adherence and maintenance of AHT and, consequently, the likelihood of survival. Thus, AHT side-effects should be routinely assessed by health care providers to gain accurate knowledge that allows improving the QoL of BC survivors.
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Neoplasias da Mama , Sobreviventes de Câncer , Humanos , Feminino , Qualidade de Vida , Antineoplásicos Hormonais/uso terapêutico , Estudos Transversais , Sobreviventes , HormôniosRESUMO
Resumen: Introducción: a medida que se invierte la pirámide poblacional vamos a ver más pacientes que sufren fracturas por mecanismos de bajo impacto y no todos los hospitales cuentan con un densitómetro para hacer el diagnóstico definitivo. Sin embargo, se cuenta con herramientas clínicas que nos apoyan para iniciar con un tratamiento oportuno. Objetivo: reconocer el riesgo de refractura que existe en pacientes mayores de 50 años dentro de nuestra población. Material y métodos: se incluyeron a pacientes > 50 años que sufrieron de una fractura de bajo impacto en el Hospital Ángeles Mocel. Usando el FRAX score México para medir el riesgo de sufrir una fractura. Se dividió la muestra en dos grupos, utilizando una p < 0.05 para considerar estadísticamente significativa con un IC de 95%. Resultados: se incluyeron 69 pacientes, 47.8% ya habían sufrido de alguna fractura previa, 10% de ellos tienen tratamiento para la osteopenia. El riesgo de sufrir una fractura mayor osteoporótica en 10 años se observó en 50.7% de los pacientes. El riesgo de sufrir una fractura de cadera en 10 años se encontró en 75% de los pacientes. A ningún paciente se le dio tratamiento, ya sea modificadores del estilo de vida o tratamiento farmacológico para osteopenia/osteoporosis a su egreso hospitalario. Conclusión: hay una deficiencia en el manejo inmediato de los cirujanos ortopedistas para prevenir en pacientes futuras refracturas de bajo impacto.
Abstract: Introduction: as the population pyramid inverts, we'll see more old patients suffering a fracture secondary to a low impact mechanism and not all hospitals have a densitometer to make a definitive diagnosis. Nevertheless, we have clinical tools that can help us to start an early treatment. Objective: to recognize the risk of re-fracture of patients older than 50 years in our population. Material and methods: we included all patients older than 50 that suffered a low impact fracture in the Ángeles Mocel Hospital. We used Mexico FRAX score tool to determine de risk of suffering a fracture. The sample was divided in two groups. Utilizing p < 0.05 and a CI of 95%. Results: 69 patients where included. 47.8% had past fractures and only 10% of those had preventive osteoporotic treatment. 50.7% of the patients have a high risk of suffering a mayor osteoporotic fracture in 10 years and 75% of suffering a hip fracture in 10 years. None of the patients received a treatment, either lifestyle modifiers or specific osteoporosis pharmacotherapy at hospital discharge. Conclusion: there is a deficiency in the early preventive management of osteoporosis in patients suffering a low impact fracture by orthopedic surgeons.
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There has been enormous interest in the production of fluids with rheological properties similar to those of real blood over the last few years. Application fields range from biomicrofluidics (microscale) to forensic science (macroscale). The inclusion of flexible microparticles in blood analogue fluids has been demonstrated to be essential in order to reproduce the behaviour of blood flow in these fields. Here, we describe a protocol to produce a whole human blood analogue composed of a proposed plasma analogue and flexible spherical microparticles that mimic the key structural attributes of RBCs (size and mechanical properties), at a concentration matching the human haematocrit (â¼42% by volume). Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) flexible microparticles were used to mimic RBCs, whose capability to deform is tunable by means of the mixing ratio of the PDMS precursor. Their flow through glass micronozzles allowed us to find the appropriate mixing ratio of PDMS to have approximately the same Young's modulus (E) as that exhibited by real RBCs. Shear and extensional rheology and microrheology techniques were used to match the properties exhibited by human plasma and whole blood at body temperature (37 °C). Finally, we study the flow of our proposed fluid through a microfluidic channel, showing the in vitro reproduction of the multiphase flow effects taking place in the human microcirculatory system, such as the cell-free layer (CFL) and the Fåhræus-Lindqvist effect. A macroscale application in the field of forensic science is also presented, concerning the impact of our blood analogue droplets on a solid surface for bloodstain pattern analysis.