Nanocomposites from spent coffee grounds and iron/zinc oxide: green synthesis, characterization, and application in textile wastewater treatment.

This study reports on a novel composite of bimetallic FeO/ZnO nanoparticles supported by spent coffee grounds (SCGs). The leaves of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus Labill) and trumpet (Cuphea aequipetala Cav), with their high antioxidant content, serve as bio-reductant agents for the green synthesis of nanoparticles. It was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Stable nanoparticles were produced with different diameters of 5-30 nm, and they were applied as catalysts in Fenton-like processes. Box-Behnken experimental design (BBD) was used to determine the optimal removal efficiency with three factors and was used in the degradation of textile dyes from wastewater. The nanocomposite displayed a high decolorization ratio (88%) of indigo carmine in the presence of H2O2 combined. This resulted in a reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 56% at 120 min of contact time at an initial pH of 3.0 and a 0.5 g/L of catalyst dose, a H2O2 concentration of 8.8 mM/L, an initial dye concentration of 100 mg/L, and a temperature of 25 °C.

Methods in isolation and characterization of bovine monocytes and macrophages.

Monocytes and macrophages belong to the mononuclear phagocyte system and play important roles in both physiological and pathological processes. The cells belonging to the monocyte/macrophage system are structurally and functionally heterogeneous. Several subsets of monocytes have been previously identified in mammalian blood, generating different subpopulations of macrophages in tissues. Although their distribution and phenotype are similar to their human counterpart, bovine monocytes and macrophages feature differences in both functions and purification procedures. The specific roles that monocytes and macrophages fulfil in several important diseases of bovine species, including among the others tuberculosis and paratuberculosis, brucellosis or the disease related to peripartum, remain still partially elusive. The purpose of this review is to discuss the current knowledge of bovine monocytes and macrophages. We will describe methods for their purification and characterization of their major functions, including chemotaxis, phagocytosis and killing, oxidative burst, apoptosis and necrosis. An overview of the flow cytometry and morphological procedures, including cytology, histology and immunohistochemistry, that are currently utilized to describe monocyte and macrophage main populations and functions is presented as well.

Trends in mortality from stroke in the European Union, 1996-2015.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke is the second largest single cause of death in Europe, responsible for 9% and 13% of all deaths in men and women, respectively. There have been large overall declines in stroke mortality rates in the majority of European countries in recent decades. The aim of this study was to analyse trends in mortality caused by stroke in the 28 member countries of the European Union (EU) over the last two decades. METHODS: We extracted data for age-standardized stroke mortality rates per 100 000 in the EU for the period 1996-2015 from the World Health Organization database. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to analyse the trends and compute the annual percent change (APC) in the EU as a whole and by country. Analyses were conducted by gender and by European region. RESULTS: Mortality from stroke has decreased in the EU over the study period by an average APC of 4.2%. All countries showed downward trends, with the sharpest decreases in Estonia, Portugal and Austria. We recorded statistically significant decreases of 4.2% and 4.3% in mortality rates in men and women, respectively, in the whole EU. Southern and western countries showed the steepest decreases, whereas mortality has increased in northern countries in recent years. CONCLUSIONS: Stroke mortality has decreased in the EU, in both sexes, especially in southern and western European countries. Our results could be a reference for the development of primary prevention and acute management of stroke policies focused on countries with higher mortality.

Toward more sustainable photovoltaic solar electrochemical oxidation treatments: Influence of hydraulic and electrical distribution.

Powering electrochemical technologies with renewable energies is a promising way to get more sustainable environmental remediation techniques. However, the operational conditions of those processes must be optimized to undergo fast and efficient treatments. In this work, the influence of electrical and hydraulic connections in the performance of a set of two electrolyzers directly powered by photovoltaic panels was evaluated. Despite both electrolyzers were assembled using the same electrode material, they showed different performances. Results indicate that the electrolyzer with higher ohmic resistance and higher overpotential attained a greater production of oxidant species, being produced under the most efficient strategy around 4.8 and 15.1 mmol of oxidants per Ah by electrolyzer 1 and 2, respectively. Nevertheless, an excess of oxidant production because of an inefficient energy management, led to low removal efficiencies as a consequence of a waste of energy into undesirable reactions. Regarding the hydraulic distribution of wastewater between the cells, it was found to influence on the total remediation attained, being the serial connection 2.5 and 1.8 more efficient than a parallel wastewater distribution under series and parallel electrical strategies, respectively. Regarding electrical strategies, parallel connections maximize the use of power produced by the photovoltaic panels. Furthermore, this allows the system to work under lower current densities, reducing the mass transfer limitations. Considering both advantages, a hydraulic connection of the cells in series and an electrical connection in parallel was found to reach the highest specific removal of pollutant, 2.52 mg clopyralid (Wh)-1. Conversely, the opposite strategy (parallel hydraulic connection-series electrical connection) showed the lowest remediation ratio, 0.48 mg clopyralid (Wh)-1. These results are important to be considered in the design of electrolytic treatments of waste directly powered by photovoltaic panels, because they show the way to optimize the cells stack layout in full-scale applications, exhibiting significant impact on the sustainability of the electrochemical application.

Strategies for powering electrokinetic soil remediation: A way to optimize performance of the environmental technology.

The electro-kinetic remediation of soils using different powering strategies has been studied, in order to clarify which is the best strategy to couple solar powering with this remediation technology, in a context of developing more sustainable electrochemical remediation technologies. Direct powering from photovoltaic panels (Case a), application of constant electric fields with the same average value of Case a (Case b) and application of constant specific power with the same average value of Case a (Case c) have been compared. Results show an outstanding influence of the powering strategy on the removal efficiency of clopyralid (model of herbicide used in this work). The direct use of solar power profiles obtained the lowest removal efficiencies, which contrasts with the higher expected sustainability of this powering strategy. Reversion of pollutant transport overnight and extreme electric field values at noon help to explain the lower efficiency of this strategy. Evaporation mechanisms are promoted by operating at extreme large electric fields. In addition, harsher conditions lead to a higher negative soil affectation in terms of regions affected by extreme pHs, water contents and/or conductivities and to lower specific pollutant removals. Therefore, maximum efficiencies were found for Case b (constant electric potential gradient) with a total removal over 110 g kWh-1 and only a slight affectation into the final soil properties.

Biological removal of pharmaceutical compounds using white-rot fungi with concomitant FAME production of the residual biomass.

The efficiency of two white-rot fungi (WRF), Trametes versicolor and Ganoderma lucidum, to eliminate thirteen pharmaceutical pollutants with concomitant biodiesel production from the accumulating lipid content after treatment, was examined. The removal efficiency was studied using both individual and combined strains. The results of individual and combined strains showed a total removal (100%) of diclofenac (DCF), gemfibrozil (GFZ), ibuprofen (IBP), progesterone (PGT) and ranitidine (RNT). Lower removals were achieved for 4-acetamidoantipyrin (AAA), clofibric acid (ACF), atenolol (ATN), caffeine (CFN), carbamazepine (CZP), hydrochlorothiazide (HCT), sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and sulpiride (SPD), although the combination of both strains enhanced the system's efficiency, with removals ranging from 15 to 41%. This increase of the removal efficiency when combining both strains was attributed to the interactions developed between them (i.e., competition). Results from enzymatic and cytochrome P450 examination suggested that both extracellular (laccase, MnP, LiP) and intracellular oxidation mechanisms participate in the biological removal of pharmaceuticals. On the other hand, the "green" potential of the fungal sludge generated during the biological removal process was assessed for biodiesel production by means of one-step direct (in-situ) transformation. This process consists of the simultaneous extraction and conversion of lipids contained in the sludge by catalytic esterification/transesterification using a robust acid heterogeneous Zr-SBA-15 catalyst. This catalytic system provided conversions close to 80% of the saponifiable fraction (including free fatty acids and glycerides) in the presence of high amount of impurities. The overall weight FAME yield, based on the initial dried mass, was close to 30% for both strains.

Genetic polymorphisms of interleukin-22 in patients with ulcerative colitis. / Polimorfismos genéticos de interleucina-22 en pacientes con colitis ulcerosa.

BACKGROUND: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a multifactorial and polygenic disease. Interleukin-22 (IL-22) is an immunomodulatory cytokine that belongs to the IL-10 family. Currently, some IL-22 polymorphisms have been associated with inflammatory processes such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis vulgaris, but there are no studies on UC. AIM: The aim of this work was to study the frequency of polymorphisms of IL-22 in Mexican patients with UC. METHODS: We studied a total of 199 Mexican patients with confirmed UC and 697 healthy controls. All individuals were born in Mexico, at least three family generations earlier. A blood sample was obtained from the UC patients and healthy controls in order to perform DNA extraction and then to determine the frequency of IL-22 polymorphisms (rs2227485, rs2272478, rs2227491). RESULTS: No statistical significance was found in the gene and genotype frequencies of three SNPs of IL-22 (rs2227485, rs2272478, rs2227491) between the UC patients and healthy controls. No association was found between those IL-22 SNPs and clinical features of UC. CONCLUSIONS: There was no association between IL-22 SNPs (rs2227485, rs2272478, rs2227491) and the development of UC in a Mexican population.

FXTAS in an unmethylated mosaic male with fragile X syndrome from Chile.

Carriers of an FMR1 premutation allele (55-200 CGG repeats) often develop the neurodegenerative disorders, fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS). Neurological signs of FXTAS, parkinsonism and rapid onset of cognitive decline have not been reported in individuals with an unmethylated full mutation (FM). Here, we report a Chilean family affected with FXS, inherited from a parent carrier of an FMR1 unmethylated full mosaic allele, who presented with a fast progressing FXTAS. This case suggests that the definition of FXTAS may need to be broadened to not only include those with a premutation but also those with an expanded allele in FM range with a lack of methylation leading to elevated FMR1-mRNA expression levels and subsequent RNA toxicity.

[Characteristics of drug interactions in a pediatric intensive care unit]. / Características de las interacciones farmacológicas en una unidad de cuidados intensivos de pediatría.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to calculate the theoretical frequency of potential drug interactions (PDI) and their characteristics in the therapeutic plan of hospitalized patients in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). PATIENTS AND METHODS: An observational study was conducted which analyzed PICU prescriptions between September and November 2011. The inclusion criteria included to be hospitalized in a PICU, requirements of at least 3 drugs, except those topically applied, either gender, no age limit, no hospital stay required. The Micromedex® 2.0 program was used to detect and classify PDI. RESULTS: Of 223 patients, 100 met inclusion criteria, 610 prescriptions were analyzed and 815 drugs were prescribed. 1,240 PDI were detected in 44 patients; 12 patients received more than 10 drugs each, presenting 1,162 PDI (93.7% of total PDI). 8 patients were hospitalized for more than 10 days, presenting 1,035 PDI (83.5% of total PDI). According to PDI theoretical severity, 37.5% were high, 51.7% moderate, 6.7% low and 4.1% contraindicated. The therapeutic group most involved was antimicrobials (17.6%) and the most frequently involved individual drugs were chloral hydrate (15.9%), midazolam (14.1%) and vecuronium (13.4%). CONCLUSION: PDI were more frequent in patients associated with major polypharmacy and longer hospital stay.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio on postoperative day three as a biochemical predictor of clinically significant pancreatic fistula in patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Distal pancreatectomy is a frequent procedure and postoperative fistula, its most common complication, has an incidence of 30 to 60%. The aim of the present work was to study the role of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, as indicators of inflammatory response in the setting of pancreatic fistula. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted on patients that underwent distal pancreatectomy. The diagnosis of postoperative pancreatic fistula was made according to the definition proposed by the International Study Group on Pancreatic Fistula. The relation of postoperative pancreatic fistula to the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio was determined in the postoperative evaluation. SPSS v.21 software was utilized for the statistical analysis and a P<.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 12 patients (27.2%) developed grade B or grade C postoperative pancreatic fistula. ROC curves were constructed and a threshold of 8.3 (PPV 0.40, NPV 0.86) was established for the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, with an area under the curve of 0.71, sensitivity of 0.81, and specificity of 0.62, whereas a threshold of 33.2 (PPV 0.50, NPV 0.84) was established for the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, with an area under the curve of 0.72, sensitivity of 0.72, and specificity of 0.71. CONCLUSION: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio are serologic markers that can aid in identifying patients that will present with grade B or grade C postoperative pancreatic fistula, thus helping to provide an opportune focus on care and resources.

Photo-Induced Charge State Dynamics of the Neutral and Negatively Charged Silicon Vacancy Centers in Room-Temperature Diamond.

The silicon vacancy (SiV) center in diamond is drawing much attention due to its optical and spin properties, attractive for quantum information processing and sensing. Comparatively little is known, however, about the dynamics governing SiV charge state interconversion mainly due to challenges associated with generating, stabilizing, and characterizing all possible charge states, particularly at room temperature. Here, multi-color confocal microscopy and density functional theory are used to examine photo-induced SiV recombination - from neutral, to single-, to double-negatively charged - over a broad spectral window in chemical-vapor-deposition (CVD) diamond under ambient conditions. For the SiV0 to SiV- transition, a linear growth of the photo-recombination rate with laser power at all observed wavelengths is found, a hallmark of single photon dynamics. Laser excitation of SiV‒, on the other hand, yields only fractional recombination into SiV2‒, a finding that is interpreted in terms of a photo-activated electron tunneling process from proximal nitrogen atoms.

Green method to form iron oxide nanorods in orange peels for chromium(VI) reduction.

A green method for synthesizing iron oxide nanorods within orange peel pith has been developed. Orange peel pith functions as both a support and a reducing agent for iron ions. The nanorods were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Results of the characterization indicate that iron is deposited on the surface of orange peel primarily in the form of iron, iron(II) oxide and magnetite. The nanoparticles grow to form nanorods in the range of 20-40 nm of diameter. The biocomposite was then tested for Cr(VI) reduction and removal from aqueous solutions, exhibiting removals as high as 96% for concentrations of 10 mg/L and 76% for 50 mg/L, which is almost 4 times the removal capacity of orange peel alone.

[Foreign bodies aspiration in pediatrics. 15-year experience. Analysis of 337 cases]. / Aspiración de cuerpos extraños en pediatría. Experiencia de 15 años. Análisis de 337 casos.

Foreign body aspiration is a pediatric urgency that occurs primarily between 1 and 3 years old. The aim of this paper is to present the symptomatology, clinical and radiological findings, and the therapeutic used in our hospital with patients with foreign body aspiration diagnosis from 1995 until 2011. Patient's age was between 0 and 16 years old. We included 337 patients; where males predominate (205). The medium age was 23 months. The most frequent foreign bodies founded were seeds (192) in 57% and metallic objects in 18.3%. Cough (74.5%), dyspnea (70%), cyanosis (42.4%) and stridor (26%), were the main symptoms. Right bronchus was the most frequent localization (37.7%). In 21% of the patients the reference diagnostic was wrong due to treating it as a respiratory infection. All foreign bodies were extracted by rigid bronchoscopy. No deaths were reported in any proceeding. In our experience, infants are the most affected group, and the primordial symptoms are cough and dyspnea. Organic objects had the highest prevalence of aspiration.

Upgrading of solid recovered fuel (SRF) by dechlorination and catalytic pyrolysis over nanocrystalline ZSM-5 zeolite.

Globally increasing concern related to municipal solid waste generation is encouraging research efforts on developing alternative routes to valorize mixed refused wastes. In this way, catalytic pyrolysis is emerging as an interesting and efficient technology due to its great flexibility in terms of feedstock. In the current work, upgrading of a Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) has been investigated by catalytic pyrolysis over nanocrystalline ZSM-5 zeolite (n-ZSM-5), paying special attention to dechlorination effects due to the high Cl content of the raw waste. Thus, pretreatment of the SRF by water washing and mild thermal processing allows for a significant reduction of the Cl concentration. Regarding the catalytic pyrolysis step, the best conditions correspond with a temperature of 400 °C in the catalyst bed and 0.50 catalyst/SRF mass ratio, which lead to ca. 30 wt% oil yield (rich in aromatic hydrocarbons) together with about 40 wt% gas yield (rich in C3-C4 olefins). Accordingly, these products could find use as raw chemicals or for the production of advanced fuels. In addition, zeolite reutilization has been tested for several cycles, denoting a progressive modification of the products distribution because of coke deposition. However, an almost total recovery of the n-ZSM-5 zeolite catalytic performance is achieved after regeneration by air calcination, affording the production of an oil fraction with a Cl content as low as 40 ppm.

Treatment of soft drink process wastewater by ozonation, ozonation-H2O2 and ozonation-coagulation processes.

In this research, we studied the treatment of wastewater from the soft drink process using oxidation with ozone. A scheme composed of sequential ozonation-peroxide, ozonation-coagulation and coagulation-ozonation treatments to reduce the organic matter from the soft drink process was also used. The samples were taken from the conventional activated sludge treatment of the soft drink process, and the experiments using chemical oxidation with ozone were performed in a laboratory using a reactor through a porous plate glass diffuser with air as a feedstock for the generation of ozone. Once the sample was ozonated, the treatments were evaluated by considering the contact time, leading to greater efficiency in removing colour, turbidity and chemical oxygen demand (COD). The effect of ozonation and coagulant coupled with treatment efficiency was assessed under optimal conditions, and substantial colour and turbidity removal were found (90.52% and 93.33%, respectively). This was accompanied by a 16.78% reduction in COD (initial COD was 3410 mg/L). The absorbance spectra of the oxidised products were compared using UV-VIS spectroscopy to indicate the level of oxidation of the wastewater. We also determined the kinetics of decolouration and the removal of turbidity with the best treatment. The same treatment was applied to the sample taken from the final effluent of the activated sludge system, and a COD removal efficiency of 100% during the first minute of the reaction with ozone was achieved. As a general conclusion, we believe that the coagulant polyaluminum chloride - ozone (PAC- ozone) treatment of wastewater from the manufacturing of soft drinks is the most efficient for removing turbidity and colour and represents an advantageous option to remove these contaminants because their removal was performed in minutes compared to the duration of traditional physical, chemical and biological processes that require hours or days.

[Profile of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders in an institution in Bogota, Colombia]. / Caracterización de niños y adolescentes con trastornos del espectro autista en una institución de Bogotá, Colombia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the profile of children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a comprehensive care centre in Bogota, Colombia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive-correlational study with a sample of patients who had attended the institution from 2003 to 2009. Demographic and clinical aspects were evaluated and a correlation between the diagnosis and severity being analysed in search for risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 138 patients were studied. The average age of onset was 21 months, and diagnosis had been made at 45 months. There was a male predominance (6.15:1). The predominant diagnosis was autistic syndrome (83%), followed by pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (17%). There was no pathological background in the family history, during pregnancy or during the neonatal period. Motor development during the first year was normal but acquisition of language skills was compromised. The specific signs of ASD as regards the disorder in itself, communication skills, spontaneous speech, verbal comprehension, attention, imitation, use of objects, self-care and symbolic play were significantly related to the severity of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosis of ASD is still delayed in our population and usually after referral from someone other than a health professional. The most important problems were found in communication skills and relationships with peers. The study did not show significant associated risk factors.

Time-integral iteration method for two-dimensional anomalous transport.

A methodology is developed to describe time-dependent phenomena associated with nonlocal transport in complex, two-dimensional geometries. It is an extension of the ''iterative method" introduced previously to solve steady-state transport problems [Maggs and Morales, Phys. Rev. E 99, 013307 (2019)10.1103/PhysRevE.99.013307], and it is based on the ''jumping particle" concepts associated with the continuous-time random walk (CTRW) model. The method presented explicitly evaluates the time integral contained in the CTRW master equation. A modified version of the Mittag-Leffler function is used for the waiting-time probability distributions to incorporate memory effects. Calculations of the propagation of ''anomalous transport waves" in various systems, with and without memory, illustrate the technique.

Endoscopic management of recurrent tracheoesophageal fistula with trichloroacetic acid in pediatric patients. / Manejo endoscópico de la fístula traqueoesofágica recurrente con la aplicación de ácido tricloroacético, en el paciente pediátrico.

INTRODUCTION: Surgical repair of recurrent tracheoesophageal fistula has a high risk of complications. Therefore, various endoscopic techniques have been used to avoid complications. OBJECTIVE: To understand the usefulness of trichloroacetic acid endoscopic application for the treatment of recurrent tracheoesophageal fistula. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An observational, descriptive, retrospective, case-series-based study was carried out in a tertiary pediatric hospital. Records of patients with recurrent tracheoesophageal fistula from 2015 to 2021 were reviewed. All patients within this period underwent brushing and trichloroacetic acid application. RESULTS: Mean time of recurrent tracheoesophageal fistula occurrence was 4.8 months (range: 1-19.2). Two patients had a small fistula (less than 4 mm), three patients had a medium fistula (4 mm), and two patients had a large fistula (more than 4 mm). Mean sessions for fistula closure were 2.2 (range: 1-4). Mean time between procedures was 22 days (range: 14-30). Mean follow-up since fistula closure confirmation was 33 months (range: 9-72), during which no recurrences were noted. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic management of recurrent transesophageal fistula with trichloroacetic acid is a safe and effective procedure. Brushing and trichloroacetic acid combined improve success rates. Fistulas over 4 mm in diameter require more procedures. However, a larger patient cohort and a longer follow-up period are needed to confirm this.

INTRODUCCION: La reparación quirúrgica de la fístula traqueoesofágica recurrente tiene alto riesgo de complicaciones por lo que se han utilizado diversas técnicas endoscópicas para evitarlas. OBJETIVO: Conocer la utilidad de la aplicación endoscópica de ácido tricloroacético para el tratamiento de la fístula traqueoesofágica recurrente. MATERIAL Y METODO: Estudio observacional, descriptivo y retrospectivo, tipo de serie de casos en un hospital pediátrico de tercer nivel. Se revisaron los expedientes de pacientes con fístula traqueoesofágica recurrente de 2015 a 2021. En todos los pacientes durante este periodo se realizó cepillado y aplicación de ácido tricloroacético. RESULTADO: El tiempo medio de aparición de la fístula traqueoesofágica recurrente fue de 4,8 meses (rango 1-19,2). Dos con fístula pequeña (menor a 4 mm), tres con fístula mediana (4 mm) y dos con fístula grande (mayor a 4 mm). El número medio de sesiones para cerrar la fístula fue 2,2 veces (rango 1-4). El intervalo medio entre procedimientos fue 22 días (rango 14-30). El tiempo medio de seguimiento desde la confirmación de cierre de la fistula fue de 33 meses (rango 9-72), periodo de tiempo donde no se observó recurrencia del cuadro. CONCLUSION: El manejo endoscópico de la fístula traqueoesofágica recurrente con la aplicación de ácido tricloroacético es un procedimiento seguro y efectivo. La técnica de cepillado y aplicación de ácido tricloroacético mejora la efectividad de éxito. La fístula mayor de 4 mm de diámetro requiere mayor número de procedimientos; sin embargo, se requiere mayor número de pacientes y mayor tiempo de seguimiento para poder aseverar esta opinión.

[Prevalence and incidence of ictus in Europe: systematic review and meta-analysis].

BACKGROUND: Stroke is the second cause of death and the first cause of disability in Europe. The number of stroke patients shows a rapidly increasing due to the increase in the elderly population. The aim of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the prevalence and incidence of stroke in Europe. METHOD: We conducted a literature search in MEDLINE, SCOPUS, CINAHL Complete and EMBASE, using the keywords "stroke", "cerebrovascular accident", "epidemiology", "prevalence", "incidence" and "Europe". In order to evaluate the quality and risk of bias, we used the Hoy's modified scale for prevalence studies and the Newcastle Ottawa Scale for incidence studies. A random effects model with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) was used for the meta-analysis. The I2 statistic was applied to assess heterogeneity. RESULTS: The prevalence of stroke in Europe adjusted for sex was estimated at 9.2% (95%CI: 4.4-14.0). The prevalence was 9.1% (95%CI: 4.7-13.6) in men and 9.2% (95%CI: 4.1-14.4) in women, and increased with age. The incidence of stroke in Europe adjusted for sex was 191.9 per 100,000 person-years (95%CI: 156.4-227.3); it was 195.7 per 100,000 person-years (95%CI: 142.4-249.0) in men and 188.1 per 100,000 person-years (95%CI: 138.6-237.7) in women. Again, these rates increased with age. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of stroke in Europe is 9.2%. The incidence of stroke in Europe is 191.9 per 100,000 person-years. The prevalence of stroke has increased, whereas the incidence of stroke is stable in comparison with studies conducted at the beginning of the 21st century.

[Evaluation of the Aspergillus Galactomannan ag VircliaR Monotest test as an alternative to Platelia™ Aspergillus EIA kit]. / Evaluación de la prueba Aspergillus Galactomannan Ag VircliaR Monotest como alternativa a kit Platelia™ Aspergillus EIA.

BACKGROUND: The Aspergillus Galactomannan Ag Virclia® (GMVClia) test is a monotest and automated galactomannan technique based on chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA). AIM: To evaluate the performance of the GM-VClia test in serum and bronchioalveolar lavage (BAL) samples previously processed with the Platelia ™ Aspergillus EIA kit (GM-Plat). METHODS: 56 samples of serum 40 from BAL (some of them with galactomaman determination in both samples), from patients with pulmonary diseases, hematological diseases, SLE, Covid-19 and tumors, among others, were studied. Thirteen patients had invasive aspergillosis (1 proven and 12 probable). RESULTS: The correlation between both methods for serum and BAL was r = 0.8861 p < 0.0001 and r = 0.6368 p < 0.001, respectively. There was a global concordance of 67.7% (65/96), being 85.7% (48/56) in sera and 42.5.0% (14/49) in BAL. By raising the cut-off point in LBA by GM-VClia, the agreement increased to 85.7%. CONCLUSION: A greater correlation and concordance was observed in sera than in BAL. The GM-VClia kit had a higher sensitivity and NPV than the GM-Plat kit. The disadvantages of GM-VClia are the "doubtful" category, which makes interpretation difficult and that with the current cut-off points in LBA the correlation with GM-Plat is lower. The advantages are its greater sensitivity, ease of processing and faster results.