Hybrid Coatings of SiO2-Recycled PET Unsaturated Polyester Resin by Sol-Gel Process.

Hybrid coatings of SiO2 and recycled unsaturated polyester resin (R-UPR) from recycled polyethylene-terephthalate (PET) were prepared by the sol-gel process on glass substrates. First, SiO2 was synthesized by the sol-gel process using a tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) solution. Next, bis(2-hydroxypropyl-terephthalate) (BHPT) was synthesized from mechanical and chemical recycling (glycolysis) of post-consumer PET bottles in propylene glycol (PG) using ZnA as catalyst, in a Vessel-type reactor (20-200 °C); maleic anhydride (MA) was added and, following the same procedure, the unsaturated polyester (UP) was synthetized, which was cooled to room temperature. Next, styrene (St) and benzoyl-peroxide (PBO)-initiator were added to obtain R-UPR. TEOS (T) and three hybrid solutions were synthesized, with molar ratios of 0:1:0 (T), 1:2:0.25 (H1), 1:1:0.25 (H2), and 1:0:0.25 (H3) for R-UPR:TEOS:3-trimethoxy-(silyl)-propyl-methacrylate (TMSPM), respectively, with which TC, HC1, HC2, and HC3 coatings were elaborated using the immersion technique and polymerized (120 °C for 24 h). The solutions were characterized by FT-IR and TGA, and the coatings by SEM, nanoindentation, AFM, adhesion, and contact angle. The results showed that SiO2 enhanced mechanical (hardness and Young's modulus) and thermal properties of the R-UPR. The coatings adhered perfectly to the substrate, with thicknesses of micrometer units and a flat surface; in addition, hydrophilicity decreased as SiO2 decreased.

Multicentre oncology clinical trials in primary health care in Cuba: evaluation of programme implementation in Villa Clara Province, 2010-2020.

BACKGROUND: The Center of Molecular Immunology of Cuba has developed a programme for the conducting of multicentre oncology clinical trials in primary healthcare centres since 2009. AIM: To evaluate the ability to conduct oncology clinical trials in primary health care. DESIGN & SETTING: A longitudinal, prospective, analytical study was developed between July 2010 and August 2020 in the Villa Clara province. METHOD: Structure, process, and outcome indicators were evaluated by the methods of a structured interview, direct observation, documentary observation, and databases analysis. The investigators' curricula vitae, the investigator site file, minutes of workshops, the monitoring reports, the clinical trial training records, and databases were employed as sources of information. The following criteria were considered adequate: when the indicator met the standard; and not adequate: when the indicator did not meet the standard. RESULTS: The six structure indicators reached adequate results and showed that the programme has allowed building of capacities to conduct clinical trials in primary care. The eight processes indicators and two outcome indicators were considered adequate too. Trials conducted in primary care showed better indicators of patient recruitment than secondary care. Both scenarios showed similar behaviour for the process indicators: retention, protocol compliance, and safety. Survival and satisfaction with health services were also comparable in both scenarios. CONCLUSION: The evaluation of the programme showed adequate indicators for conducting oncology clinical trials in primary care in Villa Clara and these were comparable to those determined in the secondary care.

Overall Survival of Patients with Locally Advanced or Metastatic Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treated with Nimotuzumab in the Real World.

INTRODUCTION: Despite improvements in surgical techniques and treatments introduced into clinical practice, the overall survival of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma remains low. Several epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors are being evaluated in the context of clinical trials, but there is little evidence of effectiveness in real-world conditions. This study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of nimotuzumab combined with onco-specific treatment in Cuban real-life patients with locally advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS: A comparative and retrospective effectiveness study was performed. The 93 patients treated with nimotuzumab were matched, with use of propensity score matching, with patients who received a diagnosis of locally advanced or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus in three Cuban provinces reported between 2011 and 2015 to the National Cancer Registry. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate event-time distributions. Log-rank statistics were used for comparisons of overall survival between groups. A two-component mixture model assuming a Weibull distribution was fitted to assess the effect of nimotuzumab on short-term and long-term survival populations. RESULTS: There was an increase in median overall survival in patients treated with nimotuzumab (11.9 months versus 6.5 months without treatment) and an increase in the 1-year survival rate (54.0% versus 21.9% without treatment). The 2-year survival rates were 21.1% for patients treated with nimotuzumab and 0% in the untreated cohort. There were statistically significant differences in survival between groups treated and not treated with nimotuzumab, both in the short-term survival population (6.0 months vs 4.0 months, p = 0.009) and in the long-term survival population (18.0 months vs 11.0 months, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that nimotuzumab treatment concurrent with chemoradiotherapy increases the survival of real-world patients with locally advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Further prospective studies are required to confirm the therapeutic effectiveness of nimotuzumab in esophageal cancer.

[Cost of illness attributable to environmental factors in the city of Manaus, state of Amazonas, Brazil]. / Custo das doenças atribuíveis a fatores ambientais na cidade de Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil.

The study estimated the cost of illness attributable to environmental factors in the city of Manaus between the years 1998 to 2009. The causes of hospitalization were grouped based on studies of the Global Burden of Disease and Comparative Risk Assessment of the World Health Organization. The value was estimated by the sum of (i) hospital spending on treatment of diseases directly attributable to environmental factors, and (ii) the costs of lost workdays resulting from the stay in hospital estimated on the basis of the average earnings of Manaus workers. The data were further calibrated taking into account the coverage of the population with private health insurance. The cost of illness, considering the values corrected by the General Market Price Index for the year 2009 was estimated at R$ 286,852,666.97, of which cardiovascular disease, respiratory infections of the lower airways and diarrheal diseases are responsible for 78.6% of these values. Of the fractions attributable to environmental factors, cardiovascular diseases account for 16% (CI: 7-23%), respiratory infections and respiratory infections of the lower airways for 41% (CI: 32-47%), and diarrhea for 94% (CI: 84-98%) of the global burden of disease.

Custo das doencas atribuiveis a fatores ambientais na cidade de Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil / Cost of illness attributable to environmental factors in the city of Manaus, state of Amazonas, Brazil

O presente estudo estimou o custo das doenças atribuíveis a fatores ambientais na cidade de Manaus, entre os anos de 1998 a 2009. As causas de internação hospitalar foram agrupadas com base nos estudos de Carga Global de Doença e da Análise Comparativa de Risco da Organização Mundial da Saúde. O valor foi estimado por meio da soma dos (i) gastos hospitalares com tratamento das doenças atribuíveis a fatores ambientais com os (ii) valores dos dias de trabalho perdidos resultante da permanência em leito hospitalar, estimados a partir da remuneração média dos trabalhadores de Manaus. Os dados ainda foram calibrados levando-se em consideração a cobertura da população com plano de saúde privado. O custo das doenças, considerando os valores corrigidos pelo Índice Geral de Preços do Mercado para o ano de 2009, foi estimado em R$ 286.852.666,97, dos quais as doenças cardiovasculares, as infecções respiratórias das vias aéreas inferiores e as doenças diarreicas são responsáveis por 78,6%. Das frações atribuíveis a fatores ambientais, as doenças cardiovasculares respondem por 16% (IC: 7-23%), as infecções respiratórias das vias aéreas inferiores por 41% (IC: 32-47%), e as diarreias por 94% (IC: 84-98%) da carga global das doenças.

The study estimated the cost of illness attributable to environmental factors in the city of Manaus between the years 1998 to 2009. The causes of hospitalization were grouped based on studies of the Global Burden of Disease and Comparative Risk Assessment of the World Health Organization. The value was estimated by the sum of (i) hospital spending on treatment of diseases directly attributable to environmental factors, and (ii) the costs of lost workdays resulting from the stay in hospital estimated on the basis of the average earnings of Manaus workers. The data were further calibrated taking into account the coverage of the population with private health insurance. The cost of illness, considering the values corrected by the General Market Price Index for the year 2009 was estimated at R$ 286,852,666.97, of which cardiovascular disease, respiratory infections of the lower airways and diarrheal diseases are responsible for 78.6% of these values. Of the fractions attributable to environmental factors, cardiovascular diseases account for 16% (CI: 7-23%), respiratory infections and respiratory infections of the lower airways for 41% (CI: 32-47%), and diarrhea for 94% (CI: 84-98%) of the global burden of disease.

Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus replicon particle vaccine protects nonhuman primates from intramuscular and aerosol challenge with ebolavirus.

There are no vaccines or therapeutics currently approved for the prevention or treatment of ebolavirus infection. Previously, a replicon vaccine based on Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) demonstrated protective efficacy against Marburg virus in nonhuman primates. Here, we report the protective efficacy of Sudan virus (SUDV)- and Ebola virus (EBOV)-specific VEEV replicon particle (VRP) vaccines in nonhuman primates. VRP vaccines were developed to express the glycoprotein (GP) of either SUDV or EBOV. A single intramuscular vaccination of cynomolgus macaques with VRP expressing SUDV GP provided complete protection against intramuscular challenge with SUDV. Vaccination against SUDV and subsequent survival of SUDV challenge did not fully protect cynomolgus macaques against intramuscular EBOV back-challenge. However, a single simultaneous intramuscular vaccination with VRP expressing SUDV GP combined with VRP expressing EBOV GP did provide complete protection against intramuscular challenge with either SUDV or EBOV in cynomolgus macaques. Finally, intramuscular vaccination with VRP expressing SUDV GP completely protected cynomolgus macaques when challenged with aerosolized SUDV, although complete protection against aerosol challenge required two vaccinations with this vaccine.

Enfisema bilobar congénito: Una presentación poco común y revisión de la literatura / Congenital bilobar emphysema: An unusual presentation and literature review

Introducción: El enfisema bilobar congénito es una malformación poco frecuente, que puede ser causa de insuficiencia respiratoria en el niño. Las manifestaciones son producto de la sobreexpansión de un lóbulo pulmonar con comprensión del parénquima del pulmón sano con desplazamiento del mediastino. La lesión bilobar es extremadamente rara. El propósito del presente trabajo es presentar un caso tratado quirúrgicamente por el grupo, teniendo una buena evolución. Reporte de caso: Paciente masculino de 4 meses de edad obtenido a término por cesárea; el paciente inició manifestaciones pulmonares con taquipnea. La radiografía de tórax demostró atrapamiento de aire de hemitórax izquierdo con desplazamiento del hemitórax. La biopsia demostró enfisema lobar congénito y se le realizó una lobectomía. El paciente tuvo un seguimiento de más de dos años y su evolución fue satisfactoria. Discusión: El enfisema bilobar congénito es una condición poco frecuente. El diagnóstico de enfisema bilobar puede ser difícil. La cirugía debe ser guiada con bases clínicas y radiológicas; sin embargo, el manejo en los casos de lesión bilobar suele ser controversial.

Introduction: Congenital bilobar emphysema is an infrequent congenital malformation which may be the cause of respiratory insufficiency in the smaller suckling child. It is produced by the overexpansion of one lung lobe with compression of the normal lung parenchyma and displacement of the mediastinum bilobar or multifocal involvement is extremely rare. Our purpose is to present one cases of this illness which were surgically treated by our team. Case presented: A male infant developed respiratory distress at 4 months of age. He was born at term by abdominal delivery. The patient was hemodynamically stable, tachypneic, but with no abnormal lung sounds. Chest radiography demonstrated a hyperinflated left hemithorax with mediastinal shift to the right and mediastinal hernia. Surgery and histology examination demonstrated distended alveoli. He has been followed for 2 years and no complications have occurred since. Discussion: Congenital bilobar emphysema is a rare condition. Diagnosis of bilobar involvement may be difficult. Congenital bilobar emphysema may be managed by simultaneous or sequential bilobectomies. Surgical management should be guided by clinical and radiologic findings and evaluated peroperatively and postoperatively. Surgical management of bilobar emphysema is controversial.

Cuantificación y características de los Centros de Fisioterapia y Rehabilitación en el radio urbano de la ciudad de Santa Cruz de la Sierra / Quantification and characteristics of the Centers of physiotherapy and rehabilitation in the urban radio of the city of Santa cruz de la Sierra

La necesidad de conocer la realidad sobre cuántos, quienes, donde y con qué trabajan los fisioterapeutas en la ciudad de Santa Cruz llevó a realizar una Cuantificación y caracteristicas de los Centrso de fisioterapia existentes en el radio urbano de la ciudad de Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Esta investigación, efectuada entre los meses de marzo y abril del año 2001, se realizó a través de un cuestionario que fue llenado por los responsables de los centros y por lo cual se llegó a establecer que: - Existen 46 centros de fisioterapia y rehabilitación en el radio urbano de la ciudad de Santa Cruz. - Se logró confeccionar un directorio de estos centros y de las personas que se desempeñan en los mismos. - Que en estos centrso se desempeñan 88 profesionales con diferentes grados y/o niveles de formación académica. - Además de otros datos que se relacionan con los objetivos planteados...

Exposición ocupacional al virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana / Occupational exposure to the virus of human immunodefficiency

El riesgo de exposición ocupacional a los virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana es menor de 0.1% por año de exposición. En todo el mundo han sido publicados hasta el momento únicamente 23 casos de transmisión ocupacional del V.I.H. En todo ninguno de 64 trabajadores del Hospital de Infectología del Centro Médico "La Raza" y de otras unidades médicas, expuestos accidentalmente al V.I.H. se ha observado seroconversión ni datos clínicos de infección con el V.I.H. Se recominda la adopción del uso de medidas universales de protección en todas las áreas de atención médica para disminuir el riesgo de infección de los trabajadores de la salud a los diversos agentes infecciosos transmitidos por sangre y ó líquidos corporales