How a single perioperative delirium case can make the difference.

This report describes how postoperative delirium in an elderly man during COVID-19 pandemic led to a serious event involving a central venous catheter. Delirium is a common cause of perioperative morbidity and mortality, and is characterised by an alteration in consciousness and perception and a reduced ability to focus, sustain or shift attention. The event was analysed by a multidisciplinary committee which developed a risk stratification delirium protocol in order to prevent similar events in the future.

Predictors of in-hospital mortality in HIV-infected patients with COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Underlying immunodeficiency is associated with severe COVID-19, but the prognosis of persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PWH) with COVID-19 is under debate. Aim: assessment of the mortality rate and major determinants of death in HIV-infected patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Spain before vaccine availability. Design: Retrospective nationwide public database analysis. METHODS: Nationwide, retrospective, observational analysis of all hospitalizations with COVID-19 during year 2020 in Spain. Stratification was made according to HIV status. The National Registry of Hospital Discharges was used with the ICD-10 coding list. RESULTS: A total of 117 694 adults were hospitalized with COVID-19 during 2020. Only 234 (0.2%) were HIV-positives. More than 95% were on antiretroviral therapy. Compared to HIV-negatives, PWH were younger (mean age 53.2 vs. 66.5 years old; P<0.001) and more frequently male (74.8% vs. 56.6%; P<0.001). Most co-morbidities predisposing to severe COVID-19 (diabetes, hypertension, dementia and cardiovascular disease) were more frequent in HIV-negatives. In contrast, the rate of baseline liver disease was over 6-fold higher in PWH (27.4% vs. 4.4%; P<0.001). In-hospital mortality was lower in PWH (9.4% vs. 16%; P=0.004). In multivariate analysis, older age, dementia and especially advanced liver disease (relative risk (RR): 7.6) were the major determinants of death in PWH hospitalized with COVID-19. CONCLUSION: HIV-infected patients hospitalized in Spain with COVID-19 during 2020 had better survival than HIV-negatives, most likely explained by younger age and lower rate of co-morbidities. However, advanced liver disease was a major predictor of death in PWH hospitalized with COVID-19.

Trombosis venosa profunda masiva en gestante: la importancia de individualizar el plan de acción / Massive deep vein thrombosis in pregnant women: The importance of individualizing the action plan

El tromboembolismo venoso (TEV), incluida la trombosis venosa profunda (TVP) y la embolia pulmonar (TEP) es una afección potencialmente letal y a tener en cuenta en mujeres embarazadas, donde la situación es favorecida por los cambios fisiológicos característicos de la gestación, el parto y el puerperio. El manejo de esta patología en este tipo de pacientes está basado en la anticoagulación, con los beneficios e inconvenientes que ello implica. Presentamos el caso de una mujer embarazada con TVP masiva e intentamos arrojar luz sobre temas como son la vía de parto (vaginal vs. cesárea) o el manejo del tratamiento (heparina de bajo peso molecular [HBPM] vs. heparina no fraccionada [HNF]) de cara a obtener la situación más segura para la paciente.(AU)

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is a potentially lethal condition to be taken into account in pregnant women, where the situation is favored by the characteristic physiological changes of the pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium. The management of this pathology in this type of patient is based on anticoagulation, with the benefits and drawbacks that this implies. We present the case of a pregnant woman with massive DVT and the issues are discussed, such as the method of delivery (vaginal vs. cesarean section) or the management of treatment (LMWH vs. UFH) in order to obtain the safest situation for the patient.(AU)

Massive deep vein thrombosis in pregnant women: The importance of individualizing the action plan.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is a potentially lethal condition to be taken into account in pregnant women, where the situation is favored by the characteristic physiological changes of the pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium. The management of this pathology in this type of patient is based on anticoagulation, with the benefits and drawbacks that this implies. We present the case of a pregnant woman with massive DVT and the issues are discussed, such as the method of delivery (vaginal vs. cesarean section) or the management of treatment (LMWH vs. UFH) in order to obtain the safest situation for the patient.

Cytomegalovirus infection is a risk factor for venous thromboembolism in ANCA-associated vasculitis.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common complication in patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitides (AAV) and confers significant morbidity and mortality. Both acute and past cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection have been identified as risk factors for VTE in immunocompetent and immunosuppressed individuals. Here, we examine whether past exposure to CMV is a risk factor for VTE amongst patients with AAV. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed outcomes of patients with a new diagnosis of AAV from a UK cohort. All confirmed cases of VTE where CMV IgG serology was available were recorded. Retrospective collection of the same data for patients at a North American centre was used as a validation cohort. RESULTS: VTE was common with 12% of patients from the study cohort (total 259 patients) developing an event during the median follow-up period of 8.5 years of which 60% occurred within the first 12 months following diagnosis. Sixteen percent of CMV seropositive patients developed a VTE compared with 5% of patients who were seronegative (p = 0.007) and CMV seropositivity remained an independent predictor of VTE in multivariable analysis (HR 2.96 [1.094-8.011] p = 0.033). CMV seropositivity at diagnosis was confirmed as a significant risk factor for VTE in the American validation cohort (p = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: VTE is common in patients with AAV, especially within the first year of diagnosis. Past infection with CMV is an independent risk factor associated with VTE in AAV.

A checklist of helminths associated with reptiles (Tetrapoda: Reptilia) from Peru.

An annotated checklist of the helminth parasites associated with reptiles from Peru is provided, as the result of a compilation of parasitological papers published between 1963 and January 2022 and records of species deposited in national and international collections. The list provides data on hosts, developmental stage, sites of infection, geographical distribution in Peruvian territory, code of material deposited in helminthological collections, references and taxonomic notes. The database includes records of 106 different species of helminth parasites (82 nominal species and 24 taxa identified at the generic level), the majority in the adult stage. These helminth parasites come from 18 of the 25 official Peruvian regions. Nematodes have the highest richness in number of species (79 species), followed by trematodes (17 species) and cestodes (nine species). The acanthocephalans are represented by only one species. The parasites with the highest number of records were Physaloptera retusa Rudolphi, 1819 (11 hosts), Physalopteroides venancioi (Lent, Freitas & Proença, 1946) (nine hosts), Strongyluris oscari Travassos, 1923 (seven hosts), and Parapharyngodon scleratus Travassos, 1923 (five hosts), all of which are nematodes. The 106 taxa of helminth parasites have been reported infecting 55 species of reptiles in Peru, distributed in 34 genera and 14 families. The reptile species harbouring the highest number of helminth parasites are the yellow-footed tortoise Chelonoidis denticulatus (Linnaeus) with 18 species (three trematodes and 15 nematodes), followed by the Peru desert tegu Dicrodon guttulatum Duméril & Bibron (Teiidae) with 11 species (three cestodes and eight nematodes) and the yellow-spotted Amazon River turtle Podocnemis unifilis Troschel (Podocnemididae) with 10 species (five trematodes and five nematodes). Of the 524 species of reptiles reported in Peru, only 55 (>10%) are reported as hosts of helminths representing a small proportion considering the great variety of reptile hosts that inhabit the various tropical and subtropical geographical areas of Peru.

Association of Fusobacterium nucleatum infection and colorectal cancer: A Mexican study.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent cancer worldwide. Many risk factors are involved, and current evidence links the gut microbiota and colorectal carcinogenesis. Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) is proposed as one of the risk factors at the onset and during the progression of CRC, due to immune system and inflammatory modulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety samples from three different regions of the colon were collected through colonoscopy in patients with CRC, and qPCR TagMan® was conducted to detect F. nucleatum and cytokines (IL-17, IL-23, and IL-10) in tumor, peritumor, and normal samples. The differences between them were analyzed and correlated. RESULTS: The abundance of F. nucleatum determined through the 2-ΔΔCt method in CRC (7.750 [5.790-10.469]) was significantly higher than in the normal control (0.409 [0.251-0.817]) (p < 0.05). There was no significant association between F. nucleatum and the cytokines (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CRC is a heterogeneous disease that presents and progresses in a complex microenvironment, partially due to gut microbiome imbalance. F. nucleatum was enriched in CRC tissue, but whether that is a cause of the pathology or a consequence, has not yet been clearly defined.

Enhanced Automatic Segmentation for Superficial White Matter Fiber Bundles for Probabilistic Tractography Datasets.

This paper presents an enhanced algorithm for automatic segmentation of superficial white matter (SWM) bundles from probabilistic dMRI tractography datasets, based on a multi-subject bundle atlas. Previous segmentation methods use the maximum Euclidean distance between corresponding points of the subject fibers and the atlas centroids. However, this scheme might include noisy fibers. Here, we propose a three step approach to discard noisy fibers improving the identification of fibers. The first step applies a fiber clustering and the segmentation is performed between the centroids of the clusters and the atlas centroids. This step removes outliers and enables a better identification of fibers with similar shapes. The second step applies a fiber filter based on two different fiber similarities. One is the Symmetrized Segment-Path Distance (SSPD) over 2D ISOMAP and the other is an adapted version of SSPD for 3D space. The last step eliminates noisy fibers by removing those that connect regions that are far from the main atlas bundle connections. We perform an experimental evaluation using ten subjects of the Human Connectome (HCP) database. The evaluation only considers the bundles connecting precentral and postcentral gyri, with a total of seven bundles per hemisphere. For comparison, the bundles of the ten subjects were manually segmented. Bundles segmented with our method were evaluated in terms of similarity to manually segmented bundles and the final number of fibers. The results show that our approach obtains bundles with a higher similarity score than the state-of-the-art method and maintains a similar number of fibers.Clinical relevance-Many brain pathologies or disorders can occur in specific regions of the SWM automatic segmentation of reliable SWM bundles would help applications to clinical research.

Association of Fusobacterium nucleatum infection and colorectal cancer: A Mexican study. / Asociación entre infección por Fusobacterium nucleatum y cáncer colorrectal: un estudio mexicano.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent cancer worldwide. Many risk factors are involved, and current evidence links the gut microbiota and colorectal carcinogenesis. Fusobacterium nucleatum is proposed as one of the risk factors at the onset and during the progression of CRC, due to immune system and inflammatory modulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety samples from three different regions of the colon were collected through colonoscopy in patients with CRC, and qPCR TagMan® was conducted to detect F. nucleatum and cytokines (IL-17, IL-23, and IL-10) in tumor, peritumor, and normal samples. The differences between them were analyzed and correlated. RESULTS: The abundance of F. nucleatum determined through the 2-ΔΔCt method in CRC (7.750 [5.790-10.469]) was significantly higher than in the normal control (0.409 [0.251-0.817]) (p<0.05). There was no significant association between F. nucleatum and the cytokines (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CRC is a heterogeneous disease that presents and progresses in a complex microenvironment, partially due to gut microbiome imbalance. F. nucleatum was enriched in CRC tissue, but whether that is a cause of the pathology or a consequence, has not yet been clearly defined.

Caracterización clínica y sociodemográfica de los pacientes con tinnitus en un centro especializado de Medellín / Clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of patients with tinnitus at specialized unit in Medellín

Resumen Introducción: teniendo en cuenta la repercusión del tinnitus en la calidad de vida de los pacientes, el objetivo de este estudio es conocer las características específicas clínicas y sociodemográficas de los pacientes que asistieron ambulatoriamente a la unidad especializada de tinnitus de la Clínica Orlant, ubicada en la ciudad de Medellín, Colombia. Comprender las peculiaridades de los pacientes con acúfenos constituye un enfoque para proponer medidas de prevención y tratamiento dirigido, siendo este el primer estudio con estas características que se realiza en Colombia. Materiales y métodos: estudio retrospectivo de pacientes referidos por primera vez a la consulta especializada de tinnitus en el centro de especialistas en Otorrinolaringología y Otología, Clínica Orlant, en un año. Se obtuvo información demográfica y se recopilaron datos de las historias clínicas. Resultados: se incluyeron 61 pacientes, cuya edad media fue de 52,5 años. El 54,1 % presentó tinnitus bilateral, el 78,7 % refirió tono agudo y el 59 % intensidad moderada. Entre los síntomas asociados, el 67,2 % refirió sensación de giro y el 80,3 % desequilibrio o inestabilidad. El 23 % tenía hipertensión arterial, 5 pacientes recibieron ototóxicos, el 34,4 % tuvo exposición crónica al ruido y el 8,2 % hipoacusia súbita. El 21,3 % tenía diagnóstico de trastorno psiquiátrico. El 65,5 % diagnóstico de hipoacusia, el 52,5 % bilateral y el 54,1 % de tipo neurosensorial Conclusión: las características del tinnitus más comunes fueron la presentación bilateral, duración mayor de tres meses, tonalidad aguda y de intensidad moderada. Se encontró una representación similar de algunas características en la población de otras áreas geográficas.

[Utility and prognosis value of the electroencephalogram in COVID-19 and encephalopathy: electroencephalographic patterns in a case series]. / Utilidad y valor pronóstico del electroencefalograma en la COVID-19 y la encefalopatía: patrones electroencefalográficos en una serie de casos.

INTRODUCTION: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused a collapse situation in many hospitals around the world. The aim of this study is to analyse the utility of the electroencephalogram (EEG) in the management of the neurological patient during the COVID-19 pandemic. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The Clinical Neurophysiology Department of the Hospital Central de la Defensa Gomez Ulla was dissolved due to the hospital collapse situation. Therefore, the EEG was performed exceptionally in those cases with the greatest probability of providing a benefit in its management. We describe seven patients (four in ICU and three hospitalized) diagnosed with COVID-19, who underwent through an EEG. RESULTS: The EEG showed abnormalities in all cases, including one case of brain death. The EEG resulted in a change in clinical management in four of the patients (57%) and helped the clinician provide information to the family. In the other three cases, a toxic-metabolic origin was suspected before the EEG was performed, so it did not imply a change in the clinical management already proposed, although it facilitated a prognostic orientation. Slow polymorphic waves were evident in five cases. Five patients were unresponsive. Currently, one patient remain hospitalized and four have died. CONCLUSIONS: The EEG was useful and facilitated decision making in COVID-19 patients in whom it was requested. It guided the diagnosis in cases where CT was non-contributory and led to a change in therapeutic management in most patients. The most frequent findings were signs of encephalopathy and epileptiform discharges.

TITLE: Utilidad y valor pronóstico del electroencefalograma en la COVID-19 y la encefalopatía: patrones electroencefalográficos en una serie de casos.Introducción. La enfermedad por coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) causó el colapso de muchos hospitales. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar la utilidad del electroencefalograma (EEG) en el tratamiento del paciente neurológico durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Pacientes y métodos. El Servicio de Neurofisiología Clínica del Hospital Central de la Defensa Gómez Ulla fue disuelto debido a la situación de saturación hospitalaria. En consecuencia, se realizó un EEG excepcionalmente a los pacientes a los que tenía mayor probabilidad de aportar un beneficio en su tratamiento. Se describen siete pacientes (cuatro en cuidados intensivos y tres hospitalizados) diagnosticados con COVID-19 a quienes se les realizó un EEG. Resultados. El EEG mostró anormalidades en todos los casos, incluyendo un caso de muerte cerebral. El EEG supuso un cambio en el tratamiento clínico en cuatro de los pacientes (57%) y ayudó al clínico a informar a la familia. En los otros tres casos, se sospechó un origen tóxico-metabólico previo al EEG, por lo que no implicó un cambio en el tratamiento ya propuesto, aunque facilitó una orientación pronóstica. Se evidenciaron ondas lentas polimorfas en cinco casos. Actualmente, un paciente permanece hospitalizado y cuatro han fallecido. Conclusiones. El EEG fue de utilidad y facilitó la toma de decisiones en los pacientes con COVID-19 en los que se solicitó. Orientó al diagnóstico en casos en los que la tomografía computarizada no contribuyó y supuso un cambio en el tratamiento terapéutico en la mayoría de los pacientes. Los hallazgos más frecuentes fueron signos de encefalopatía y descargas epileptiformes.

Contrasting evolutionary responses in two co-distributed species of Galaxias (Pisces, Galaxiidae) in a river from the glaciated range in Southern Chile.

Life-history traits are among the most important factors affecting population abundance and genetic diversity of species. Here, we analysed the genetic patterns of two Galaxias species with different life-history traits to investigate how these biological differences impacted their evolution in the Valdivia River basin, Southern Chile. We analysed mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences from 225 individuals of Galaxias maculatus and 136 of G. platei to compare patterns of genetic diversity, structure and demographic growth across the basin. Galaxias maculatus presented higher genetic diversity and higher genetic structure than G. platei. Demographic analyses showed G. maculatus kept a higher population size over time, with a signal of demographic expansion in the last 250 kyr. Whereas Galaxias platei, exhibited lower, but constant population size over time. Furthermore, haplotype networks revealed higher lineage diversity in G. maculatus with a tendency to occupy different areas of the basin. Coalescent simulations ruled out that genetic differences between species could be explained by stochastic processes (genetic drift), suggesting species-specific biological differences as responsible for the observed genetic differences. We discuss how differences in life-history traits and past glaciations interact to shape the evolutionary history of the two Galaxias species.

Uniportal VATS for pectus excavatum: the Southern Switzerland experience.

OBJECTIVE: The Nuss procedure is a minimally invasive approach used to treat the pectus excavatum. One to three curved metal bars are inserted behind the sternum in order to push it into a normal position. A bilateral thoracoscopy, with 3 or 4 incisions on each side, has been reported as a safe method to repair the chest. The aim of this observational cohort study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the modified uniportal thoracoscopic Nuss procedure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review on 248 consecutive patients treated in Southern Switzerland in the last 5 years for chest deformity was performed. Conservative treatment with vacuum bel or dinamic compression was performed in 235 cases. Thirteen patients with pectus excavatum were surgically treated with a modified single-incision thoracoscopic approach and introduction of a single retrosternal Nuss Bar. Demographics, clinical characteristics, surgical data and results were analyzed and discussed. RESULTS: The male/female ratio was 11/2, with mean age of 20.75 (±5.05) years. The Haller index was 3.65±0.5. The operative duration was 68. 2±13.3 min and hospitalization stay ranged from 2 to 10 days. There was no instance of intraoperative cardiac perforation or macrovascular injury. No pleural effusion or infection was reported. The overall complication rate after a postoperative follow-up of 24.6±3 months was 7.6%, without mortality, major bleeding, infectious complications, displacement or recurrence. Patients satisfaction and postoperative pain were also analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: The modified single-incision thoracoscopic Nuss procedure is both safe and effective for pectus excavatum correction with non-recurrence after two years.

Efecto Regulador de Tibolona sobre la Actividad Antiinflamatoria del Macrófago / Regulatory Effect of Tibolone on Antiinflamatory Activity of Macrophage

Resumen Los macrófagos son células fagocíticas que activan a la sintasa de óxido nítrico (SON) y la NADPH oxidasa con el objetivo de eliminar agentes que reconocen como extraños. Además, participan en el desarrollo y mantenimiento de la respuesta inflamatoria. Tibolona (Tb), a través de sus metabolitos, tiene actividad estrogénica, progestagénica y androgénica. Es utilizada como alternativa de la terapia hormonal de la menopausia, que además disminuye marcadores de inflamación. El objetivo de este estudio fue describir el efecto de Tb sobre la expresión de las interleucinas I, 6, 10 y TNF-α así como la actividad de la NADPH oxidasa del macrófago. Se utilizó la línea celular THP-1, se diferenció a macrófago, y se evaluó la actividad de NADPH oxidasa por el ensayo de NBT y la expresión de IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α e IL-10 por RT-qPCR. Se encontró que Tb regula la actividad enzimática, así como la expresión de citocinas ante un estímulo proinflamatorio. Por lo que se concluye que Tb favorece la actividad antiinflamatoria del macrófago. Estos resultados contribuyen a la descripción de los mecanismos de acción de este fármaco. Además, se propone al macrófago como un blanco de regulación del proceso inflamatorio por acción de Tb. Se sugiere que se determine la expresión proteica de las citocinas por otras técnicas, tales como western blot, ELISA, o citometría de flujo; así como la actividad de SON.

Abstract Macrophages are phagocytic cells that activate NOS and NADPH oxidase to eliminate agents that recognize like strangers, also participate in development and maintain of inflammatory response. In other hand, tibolone (Tb) has three main metabolites, which have an estrogenic, prostagenic and androgenic activity. This drug is a hormonal therapy to treat symptoms of menopause, with ability to decrease inflammation markers. The aim of this study is to describe the effect of Tb on macrophage activity. This study was carried out on differentiated macrophage THP-1 cell line used. NADPH oxidase activity by NBT assay and expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10 by RT-qPCR were measured. It has been observed that Tb regulates the enzymatic activity, as well as the cytokines expression in the cells that received a proinflammatory stimulus; these results contribute to description of mechanism of action of this drug. The results suggest that macrophage could be a target for antiinflammatory action of Tb. Its remain to investagate the protein expression of cytokines and activity of iNOS.

Equilibrio, cinética y termodinámica de la adsorción del colorante DB-86 sobre carbón activado de la cáscara de yuca / Equilibrium, kinetic and thermodynamic of direct blue 86 dye adsorption on activated carbon obtained from manioc husk

RESUMEN Objetivo. Establecer mediante experimentos por lote la capacidad de remoción, la cinética y termodinámica de adsorción del carbón activado preparado a partir de la cáscara de yuca (Manihot esculenta) en la remoción del colorante azul directo 86. Materiales y métodos. La metodología experimental consistió inicialmente en la preparación del carbón activado por activación química de la cáscara de yuca con H3PO4 y su posterior calcinación a 530°C. En la caracterización se determinaron las propiedades de textura mediante el índice de yodo e índice de azul de metileno, se cuantificaron los grupos funcionales orgánicos ácidos y básicos con el método Boehm, y se realizó el análisis próximo siguiendo las normas ASTM D-2867-70, ASTM D2866 y ASTM D2866-94. En el estudio por lote, el efecto de varios parámetros sobre la capacidad de adsorción fueron evaluados: el pH (2, 4, 8 y 10), la temperatura (25, 30 y 40°C) y la concentración inicial de colorante (20, 40, 60, 80 y 100 mg/L). Tanto las características fisicoquímicas como los ensayos de adsorción del carbón activado preparado a partir de la cáscara de yuca (CAY) fueron comparadas con otro de marca comercial (CAM). Resultados. Los resultados de la caracterización indican que ambos carbones tienen una química de superfície heterogénea, de naturaleza ácida para el CAY y básica para el CAM. La máxima capacidad obtenida fue 6.1 mg/g para el CAY y de 3.7 mg/g para el CAM. Los cálculos termodinámicos indican que la remoción es espontánea y para ambos carbones la cinética se ajusta al modelo de pseudo segundo orden. Conclusiones. El carbón activado obtenido a partir de la cáscara de yuca puede considerarse un adsorbente eficiente en la remoción de colorantes.

ABSTRACT Objective. To establish by means of experimenting by batch the capacity of removal, the kinetics and adsorption thermodynamics of activated carbon prepared from manioc husk (Manihot esculenta) in the removal of direct blue 86 dye. Materials and methods. Firstly, the experimental methodology worked on the preparation of activated carbon by chemical activation of manioc husk with H3PO4 calcined at 530°C. In the characterization the texture properties were determined by means of the blue methylene and iodine indices, the basic and acidic functional groups were quantified by the Boehm method, and the proximate analyses were done following the norms ASTM D2867-70, ASTM D2866 and ASTM D2866-94. During the batch studies, the effect of several parameters over the adsorption capacity was evaluated: pH (2, 4, 8 and 10), temperature (25, 30 and 40°C) and initial concentration of the dye (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 mg/L). Both physicochemical and adsorption characteristics of the activated carbon from manioc husk (CAY) were compared against those of a commercial brand (CAM). Results. The results of characterization showed that both carbons have a chemistry heterogeneous surface, acidic for CAY and basic for CAM. The maximum capacity obtained was 6.1 mg/g for CAY and 3.7 mg/g for CAM. The thermodynamic calculations showed that the removal was spontaneous. The kinetics for both carbon samples fits a pseudo second-order model. Conclusions. The activated carbon obtained from the manioc husk can be considered an efficient adsorbent for the removal of dyes.

Medicina Regenerativa para Úlceras Crónicas: Aplicación Cutánea de Células Troncales Mesenquimales de Gelatina de Wharton / Regenerative Medicine for Chronic Ulcers: Cutaneous Application of Mesenchymal Stem Cells of Wharton's Jelly

Resumen El empleo de células mesenquimales ha emergido como una parte importante en la medicina regenerativa con efectos positivos en la recuperación de tejidos dañados o perdidos. Las úlceras crónicas incluyen lesiones cutáneas que afectan a una gran parte de la población con diabetes mellitus, (por ejemplo 9.14% desarrollan lesiones por pie diabético según ENSANUT 2016) y representan gastos económicos considerables, debido a la pobre calidad de vida que llevan los pacientes. El tratamiento convencional que se lleva a cabo en estos casos es a largo plazo, y los efectos benéficos generados que se presentan son limitados, ya que las lesiones reinciden por no contar con un tratamiento específico y regenerativo, solo paliativo. Es por ello que en este trabajo se obtuvieron y emplearon células troncales mesenquimales derivadas de gelatina de Wharton (CTM-GW) bajo los criterios propuestos por la Sociedad Internacional de la Terapia Celular. El tratamiento fue aplicado en dos pacientes con úlceras crónicas flebostáticas de diferentes condiciones médicas y se monitoreo a corto plazo, por lo que fue un estudio limitado. Los resultados mostraron que las CTM-GW indujeron la reconstrucción cutánea mediante formación de tejido de granulación, además de disminuir el proceso inflamatorio crónico en la zona de daño, lo que favoreció el índice de cierre de la herida. Por lo anterior, se propone la utilización de CTM-GW en úlceras flebostáticas crónicas como tratamiento en la regeneración de la estructura tisular con resultados a corto plazo.

Abstract Use of mesenchymal cells has emerged as an important part in regenerative medicine with positive effects in the recovery of damaged or lost tissues. Chronic ulcers include skin lesions that affect a large part of the population with diabetes mellitus, (for example, 9.14 develop diabetic foot according to ENSANUT 2016) and represent considerable economic expenses, due to poor quality of life in patients. The conventional treatment that is carried out in these cases is long term, and the generated beneficial effects that are presented are limited, since the injuries recur due to not having a specific and regenerative treatment, only palliative. That is why in this work they were obtained and used mesenchymal stem cells derived from Wharton's jelly (MSC-WJ) under the criteria proposed by the International Society for Cell Therapy. The treatment was applied in two patients with chronic ulcers phlebostatic of different medical conditions and short-term monitoring, so it was a limited study. The results showed that MSC-WJ induced skin reconstruction by tissue formation granulation, in addition to decreasing the chronic inflammatory process in the area of damage, which favored the index of wound healing. Therefore, the use of MSC-WJ in chronic phlebostatic ulcers is proposed as a treatment in the regeneration of the tissue structure with short-term results.

Use of inline near-infrared spectroscopy to predict the viscosity of shampoo using multivariate analysis.

OBJECTIVE: In the personal care industry, viscosity is a critical quality attribute that influences product quality and process economics. Like many industrial liquids, personal care liquids are complex non-Newtonian liquids made up of aqueous surfactant systems whose viscosity depends on the build-up of micellar networks. Measuring the viscosity of complex liquids offline is easily done using benchtop rheometers and viscometers. The challenge lies in measuring the viscosity of personal care liquids online during manufacturing. Being able to track the viscosity of such products through their manufacturing cycle will not only allow for better process control but also more enhanced quality control. Therefore, the aim of this work was to investigate how proxy measurements using inline near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy in transmission mode can be used to predict the viscosity of shampoo. NIR spectroscopy has not, to the best our knowledge, been used to predict the viscosity of complex surfactant systems like shampoo and could significantly affect the way quality is monitored in a manufacturing environment. METHOD: This work focuses on viscosity changes because of differences in chloride content as salt is often used to adjust viscosity. The relationship between salt content and the viscosity of shampoo is well known following the salt curve. From an industrial perspective the region of interest for the formulation studied in this work only covers a small section of this curve. Therefore, two predictive models were developed: one covering the full range of the salt curve and another focusing on the industrially applicable region. RESULT: Models were produced using partial least squares (PLS) where both datasets showed some predictive ability with the concentrated region of interest showing enhanced performance [root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) - 2.32 Pa s] compared with the larger range (RMSEP - 4.44 Pa s). CONCLUSION: This work provides a good starting point for developing robust predictive models for in situ viscosity measurements for shampoo manufacturing, where further work into different sources of variation and the extent of the modelling capability with regards to different formulations should be studied.

OBJECTIF: Dans le secteur des soins personnels, la viscosité est une caractéristique de qualité cruciale qui influe sur la qualité du produit et l'économie en matière de processus. Comme de nombreux liquides industriels, les liquides destinés aux soins personnels sont des liquides non newtoniens complexes composés de systèmes tensioactifs aqueux dont la viscosité dépend de l'accumulation de réseaux micellaires. Mesurer la viscosité de liquides complexes hors ligne est facilement effectué à l'aide de rhéomètres et de viscosimètres de paillasse. Le défi consiste à mesurer la viscosité des liquides destinés aux soins personnels en ligne pendant la fabrication. Pouvoir suivre la viscosité de tels produits tout au long de leur cycle de fabrication permettra non seulement de mieux contrôler le processus mais aussi d'obtenir un meilleur contrôle qualité. Par conséquent, l'objectif de ce travail était d'étudier comment des mesures par procuration en utilisant la spectroscopie proche infrarouge (NIR) en ligne en mode de transmission peuvent être utilisées pour prédire la viscosité du shampooing. La spectroscopie proche infrarouge n'a pas, au mieux de nos connaissances, été utilisée pour prédire la viscosité de systèmes tensioactifs comme le shampooing, et elle pourrait significativement affecter la façon dont la qualité est surveillée dans un environnement de fabrication. MÉTHODE: Ce travail se concentre sur les changements au niveau de la viscosité en raison de différences dans la teneur en chlorure puisque le sel est souvent utilisé pour ajuster la viscosité. La relation entre la teneur en sel et la viscosité du shampooing est bien connue suivant la courbe du sel. D'un point de vue industriel, le domaine d'intérêt pour la formulation étudiée dans ce travail couvre seulement une petite section de cette courbe. Par conséquent, deux modèles prédictifs ont été développés : l'un portant sur la gamme complète de la courbe du sel et l'autre se concentrant sur le domaine applicable à l'industrie. RÉSULTAT: Les modèles ont été fabriqués en utilisant la méthode des moindres carrés partiels (partial least squares, PLS) où les deux ensembles de données ont montré un certain degré de capacité prédictive, le domaine concentré d'intérêt ayant fait preuve d'une meilleure performance (Root Mean Square Error of Prediction, RMSEP - 2,32 Pa s) par rapport à la plage de plus grande envergure (RMSEP - 4,44 Pa s). CONCLUSION: Ce travail fournit un bon point de départ pour élaborer des modèles prédictifs robustes servant à mesurer la viscosité in situ durant la fabrication des shampooings, mais d'autres travaux portant sur différentes sources de variation et sur l'ampleur de la capacité de modélisation de diverses formules doivent être effectués.

Severe wildfire exposes remnant peat carbon stocks to increased post-fire drying.

The potential of high severity wildfires to increase global terrestrial carbon emissions and exacerbate future climatic warming is of international concern. Nowhere is this more prevalent than within high latitude regions where peatlands have, over millennia, accumulated legacy carbon stocks comparable to all human CO2 emissions since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Drying increases rates of peat decomposition and associated atmospheric and aquatic carbon emissions. The degree to which severe wildfires enhance drying under future climates and induce instability in peatland ecological communities and carbon stocks is unknown. Here we show that high burn severities increased post-fire evapotranspiration by 410% within a feather moss peatland by burning through the protective capping layer that restricts evaporative drying in response to low severity burns. High burn severities projected under future climates will therefore leave peatlands that dominate dry sub-humid regions across the boreal, on the edge of their climatic envelopes, more vulnerable to intense post-fire drying, inducing high rates of carbon loss to the atmosphere that amplify the direct combustion emissions.