Function of Brønsted and Lewis acid sites in xylose conversion into furfural.

In this work, the xylose conversion and the selectivity to furfural were assessed over mesoporous sulfonic silica SBA-15-(X)SO3H catalysts doped with metal ions (X = Al(iii), Ti(iv) or Zr(iv)). The type and amount of acid sites were analyzed by adsorption of pivalonitrile. The SBA-15-(X)SO3H materials show Lewis acid sites (LAS) and two types of Brønsted acid sites (BAS) with different strengths. Type I (BAS I) belongs to terminal silanol groups, type II (BAS II) is ascribed to hydroxyl groups bonded to sulfur or transition metal, and the LAS is related to M-O bonds. Optimal reaction conditions for the most active catalyst (SBA-15-(Zr)SO3H) were 120 minutes of reaction at 160 °C, 20 wt% of catalyst, and 2.5% of xylose/solvent. Additionally, a kinetic study was carried out to calculate the rate constants, the activation energy, and the pre-exponential factor for the xylose dehydration reaction. It was found that the selectivity to furfural in sulfonic silica SBA-15-(X)SO3H catalysts was directly related to the BAS II fraction. While LAS negatively impacts the selectivity to furfural leading to the undesired reaction between furfural and xylose obtaining humins as secondary products.

Type D Adipsia with Severe Hypernatremia: A Unique Presentation of an Extensive Intracranial Germinoma.

Intracranial germ cell tumors are uncommon brain tumors; germinoma is the most common tumor in children and young adults, and the most common regions affected are pineal gland and suprasellar region. Germinomas of the suprasellar region are accompanied by endocrine alterations, with adipsia being a rare presentation. Here, we present the case of a patient with an extensive intracranial germinoma whose initial presentation was adipsia, without any other endocrinological alteration, with development of severe hypernatremia and unusual manifestations derived from it, such as deep vein thrombosis, myopathy with rhabdomyolysis, and neurological axonal damage.

Advances in process design, techno-economic assessment and environmental aspects for hydrothermal pretreatment in the fractionation of biomass under biorefinery concept.

The development and sustainability of second-generation biorefineries are essential for the production of high added value compounds and biofuels and their application at the industrial level. Pretreatment is one of the most critical stages in biomass processing. In this specific case, hydrothermal pretreatments (liquid hot water [LHW] and steam explosion [SE]) are considered the most promising process for the fractionation, hydrolysis and structural modifications of biomass. This review focuses on architecture of the plant cell wall and composition, fundamentals of hydrothermal pretreatment, process design integration, the techno-economic parameters of the solubilization of lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) focused on the operational costs for large-scale process implementation and the global manufacturing cost. In addition, profitability indicators are evaluated between the value-added products generated during hydrothermal pretreatment, advocating a biorefinery implementation in a circular economy framework. In addition, this review includes an analysis of environmental aspects of sustainability involved in hydrothermal pretreatments.

Green Flame-Retardant Composites Based on PP/TiO2/Lignin Obtained by Melt-Mixing Extrusion.

Nowadays, highly flammable and harmful plastic materials are used in many daily applications. To prevent burning of materials, other harmful molecules or materials that are not environmentally friendly are added to plastics. To overcome this environmental issue, new materials have been investigated. Lignin, an industrial by-product, is an abundant biopolymer that can be used in fire safety plastics; it is considered a renewable and readily available resource. In this work, PP-TiO2/lignin composites were obtained with TiO2/lignin mixtures through the melt extrusion process, with different weight percentages of nanoparticles (10, 20, 25, and 30 wt.%). The PP-TiO2/lignin composites were characterized by XRD, FTIR, TGA, and SEM. Furthermore, cone calorimetry tests and the mechanical properties were evaluated. Cone calorimetry tests revealed that the introduction of 25 wt.% TiO2-lignin to the PP matrix reduced the peak of heat release rate (PHRR) and total heat release (THR) by 34.37% and 35.45%, respectively. The flame retardancy index (FRI) values of the composites were greater than 1.0 and were classified as good; the highest value of 1.93 was obtained in the PP-30 sample. The tensile tests demonstrated that the flexural modulus of the composites increased gradually with increasing lignin and TiO2 content, and the flexural strength decreased slightly. The use of lignin in PP composites can be an excellent alternative to synthesize new materials with improved flame-retardant properties and which is friendly to the environment.

Early Optimization Stages of Agave lechuguilla Bagasse Processing toward Biorefinement: Drying Procedure and Enzymatic Hydrolysis for Flavonoid Extraction.

Agave lechuguilla agro-waste is a promising renewable material for biorefining purposes. The procurement of added-value co-products, such as bioactive phytochemicals, is required to improve bioprocesses and promote the bio-based economy of the productive areas of Mexico. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of post-harvest management and enzymatic pretreatment as the first stages of the A. lechuguilla valorization process. Four drying methods were compared, and enzymatic hydrolysis was optimized to obtain a flavonoid-enriched extract applying ultrasound-assisted extraction. In both experiments, the total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents, HPLC-UV flavonoid profiles, and radical scavenging capacity (DPPH) were considered as response variables. The results demonstrated that light exposure during the drying process particularly affected the flavonoid content, whereas oven-dehydration at 40 °C in the dark preserved the flavonoid diversity and antioxidant functionality of the extracts. Flavonoid glycoside recovery, particularly anthocyanidins, was 1.5-1.4-fold enhanced by enzymatic hydrolysis using the commercial mix Ultraflo© under optimized conditions (pH 4, 40 °C, 180 rpm, and 2.5 h) compared to the unpretreated biomass. The extraction of flavonoids from A. lechuguilla bagasse can be carried out using a scalable drying method and enzymatic pretreatment. This study confirmed the potential of this agro-waste as a source of marketable natural products.

High Throughput Profiling of Flavonoid Abundance in Agave lechuguilla Residue-Valorizing under Explored Mexican Plant.

Agave lechuguilla waste biomass (guishe) is an undervalued abundant plant material with natural active compounds such as flavonoids. Hence, the search and conservation of flavonoids through the different productive areas have to be studied to promote the use of this agro-residue for industrial purposes. In this work, we compared the proportion of total flavonoid content (TFC) among the total polyphenolics (TPC) and described the variation of specific flavonoid profiles (HPLC-UV-MS/MS) of guishe from three locations. Descriptive environmental analysis, using remote sensing, was used to understand the phytochemical variability among the productive regions. Furthermore, the effect of extractive solvent (ethanol and methanol) and storage conditions on specific flavonoid recovery were evaluated. The highest TPC (16.46 ± 1.09 GAE/g) was observed in the guishe from region 1, which also had a lower normalized difference water index (NDWI) and lower normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). In contrast, the TFC was similar in the agro-residue from the three studied areas, suggesting that TFC is not affected by the studied environmental features. The highest TFC was found in the ethanolic extracts (6.32 ± 1.66 QE/g) compared to the methanolic extracts (3.81 ± 1.14 QE/g). Additionally, the highest diversity in flavonoids was found in the ethanolic extract of guishe from region 3, which presented an intermedia NDWI and a lower NDVI. Despite the geo-climatic induced variations of the phytochemical profiles, the results confirm that guishe is a valuable raw material in terms of its flavonoid-enriched bioactive extracts. Additionally, the bioactive flavonoids remain stable when the conditioned agro-residue was hermetically stored at room temperature in the dark for nine months. Finally, the results enabled the establishment of both agro-ecological and biotechnological implications.

Transcriptome-based metabolic profiling of flavonoids in Agave lechuguilla waste biomass.

Agave lechuguilla is one of the most abundant species in arid and semiarid regions of Mexico, and is used to extract fiber. However, 85 % of the harvested plant material is discarded. Previous bioprospecting studies of the waste biomass suggest the presence of bioactive compounds, although the extraction process limited metabolite characterization. This work achieved flavonoid profiling of A. lechuguilla in both processed and non-processed leaf tissues using transcriptomic analysis. Functional annotation of the first de novo transcriptome of A. lechuguilla (255.7 Mbp) allowed identifying genes coding for 33 enzymes and 8 transcription factors involved in flavonoid biosynthesis. The flavonoid metabolic pathway was mostly elucidated by HPLC-MS/MS screening of alcoholic extracts. Key genes of flavonoid synthesis were higher expressed in processed leaf tissues than in non-processed leaves, suggesting a high content of flavonoids and glycoside derivatives in the waste biomass. Targeted HPLC-UV-MS analyses confirmed the concentration of isorhamnetin (1251.96 µg), flavanone (291.51 µg), hesperidin (34.23 µg), delphinidin (24.23 µg), quercetin (15.57 µg), kaempferol (13.71 µg), cyanidin (12.32 µg), apigenin (9.70 µg) and catechin (7.91 µg) per gram of dry residue. Transcriptomic and biochemical profiling concur in the potential of lechuguilla by-products with a wide range of applications in agriculture, feed, food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries.

A New Brief Scale to Measure Optimism.

This research was done to find if using maximum likelihood could reduce the Interactive Optimism Scale-Garcia to a new valid and reliable shorter version. There were 502 adults: 263 women and 239 men (Mage = 34.67, SD = 12.27). It was used in confirmatory factor analysis. A four-item scale is obtained, having excellent goodness of fit: [χ2/df = .609, GFI (Jöreskog and Sörbom's Goodness-of-Fit Index) = .999, NFI (Normed Fit Index) = .999, CFI (Bentler's Comparative Fit Index) = 1.000, RMSEA (Steiger-Lind root mean square error of approximation) = .000 (90% CI = .0001, .077); SRMR (standardized root mean square residual) = .007], as well as factorial invariance across sexes; the scale has good internal consistency (ω = .869, α = .858, ordinal α = .906). Brief Interactive Optimism Scale-G correlates significantly with self-esteem (r = .779, p < . 01, 95% CI [.816, .736]), depression (r = -.810, p < .01, 95% CI [.843, .772]), and psychopathy (r = -.670, p < . 01, 95% CI [.723, .611]). In conclusion, Brief Interactive Optimism Scale-G is a good option for measuring optimism in Mexicans.

Comparison of dilute acid pretreatment of agave assisted by microwave versus ultrasound to enhance enzymatic hydrolysis.

A comparison between microwave and ultrasound irradiations in the agave pretreatment using dilute sulfuric acid as catalyst was assessed for the first time. Pretreatments were performed using a Taguchi Orthogonal Array L9 (34) to improve the hemicellulose removal and the agave digestibility. The results showed that under optimal conditions, the hemicellulose removal was superior in the pretreatment assisted with microwave (77.5%) compared to ultrasound (28.2%). Enzymatic hydrolysis yield of agave pretreated with microwave (MWOC) was 2-fold higher than agave pretreated with ultrasound (USOC). The relatively mild conditions of pretreatment with MWOC allowed to obtain a hydrolyzed free of inhibitors with a high glucose concentration (47.7 g/L) at low solids loading (10% w/v). However, these conditions did not have a significant effect over the agave pretreated with ultrasound. The pretreatment assisted with MWOC allowed to reduce time and temperature of the process compared to pretreatment with conventional heating.

Autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by methylmethacrylate associated to seronegative antiphospholipid syndrome and diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: Autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants has been associated with different substances used for cosmetic purposes; for example, silicone, methylmethacrylate, autoimmune disorders and cancer. DISCUSSION: A 40-year-old man with a prior history of methylmethacrylate injection in the buttocks for aesthetic purposes 8 years ago, presented with deep venous thrombosis in the left leg 6 months ago, accompanied with inflammation, hardening, changes in colour, ulceration in the buttocks, arthritis, myalgias and fever. Weak and moderate lupus anticoagulant and low levels of anticardiolipin antibodies were present. Thoracoabdominal tomography showed hepatosplenomegaly and a pulmonary nodule, the biopsy of which showed chronic granulomatous inflammation. After a month, a new chest tomography showed multiple nodular pulmonary lesions. The new pulmonary biopsy showed a diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma which was treated with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone, and rituximab for four cycles, with good response of the autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome, but partial response of the diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. CONCLUSION: We describe the first case of seronegative antiphospholipid syndrome and lymphoma associated with methylmethacrylate in a patient with autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome.

Structure analysis of subjective well-being / Análisis de la estructura del bienestar subjetivo

Abstract Introduction There is controversy regarding the structure of subjective well-being (SWB) and the possibility of calculating a SWB total score. Objective To test and compare five models proposed for the description of SWB. Method The study was implemented with a cross-sectional, ex-post-facto design using an incidental sampling method. The Positive and Negative Experience Scale and the Satisfaction with Life Scale were applied to a sample composed of 600 students of health sciences from two universities of Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Data were analyzed through a structural equation modeling, using Maximum Likelihood and Corrected-Bias Percentile methods. Results The bifactor model comprising three specific factors, vis-à-vis the model composed of three correlated factors, had the best data fit (Δχ2/Δdf = 8.166 > 5, ΔNFI = .018, ΔNNFI = .015, and ΔCFI = .016 > .01), and all its fit indices were close; however, the specific factor related to positive affect had a poor contribution. Nevertheless, the model composed of three correlated factors had the greatest parsimony (PR = .853, PNFI = .804, PNNFI = .813, PCFI = .819, and PGFI = .706) and its three factors showed convergent validity, discriminant validity, and internal consistency reliability. Discussion and conclusion The two models with the best properties justify the use of a composite score of SWB based on the scores of positive affect, negative affect, and satisfaction with life, as well as scores for these three specific domains of content. From a psychometric perspective, the model composed of three correlated factors yielded the best result.

Resumen Introducción Hay una controversia en torno a la estructura del bienestar subjetivo (BS) y la posibilidad de calcular una puntuación total del BS. Objetivo Contrastar y comparar cinco modelos propuestos para el BS. Método El diseño del estudio fue ex-post-facto de corte transversal. Se usó un muestreo incidental. La Escala de Experiencias Positivas y Negativas y la Escala de Satisfacción con la Vida se aplicaron a una muestra compuesta por 600 estudiantes de ciencias de la salud de dos universidades de Nuevo León, México. Los datos se analizaron por modelamiento de ecuaciones estructurales, usando Máxima Verosimilitud y Percentiles Corregidos de Sesgo. Resultados El modelo bifactor de tres factores específicos tuvo, respecto del modelo compuesto por tres factores correlacionados, tuvo el mejor ajuste a los datos (Δχ2/Δdf = 8.166 > 5, ΔNFI = .018, ΔNNFI = .015 y ΔCFI = .016 > .01) y todos sus índices de ajuste fueron buenos; no obstante, el factor específico de afecto positivo tuvo una contribución pobre. Sin embargo, el modelo de tres factores correlacionados tuvo la mayor parsimonia (PR = .853, PNFI = .804, PNNFI = .813, PCFI = .819 y PGFI = .706) y sus tres factores mostraron validez convergente, validez discriminante y consistencia interna. Discusión y conclusión Los dos modelos con mejores propiedades justifican el uso de una puntuación compuesta de BS integrada por afecto positivo, afecto negativo y satisfacción con la vida, así como puntuaciones para estos tres dominios específicos de contenido. Desde la perspectiva psicométrica, el modelo de tres factores correlacionados proporcionó el mejor resultado.

Validation of the Mexican Spanish Version of the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience in a Sample of Medical and Psychology Students.

The Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE) aims to measure affect with high transcultural validity. The bifactor model is the best theoretical option to represent affective balance, although it is not typically used in validation studies. The objectives of this research were to test a bifactor model vis-à-vis the traditional model composed of two correlated factors, to prove its invariance across sexes, and to provide evidence of concurrent validity. A nonprobability sample composed of 600 Mexican students of psychology and medicine was recruit. One-group and multigroup confirmatory factor analyses were carried out. The SPANE and the scales selected to assess depression, perceived stress, and satisfaction with life were applied. The bifactor model showed better goodness-of-fit indices than the two correlated factors model: Δχ2(11) = 121.436, p < . 001, Δχ2/Δdf = 11.04 > 5, ΔGFI = .034, ΔNFI = .025, ΔNNFI = .022, and ΔCFI = .023 >.01. The internal consistency for the general factor as well as for the factor of positive affect was excellent, whereas it was good for the factor of negative affect. The measurement model was valid across sexes. The general factor of affective balance had a very high correlation with depression, high with perceived stress, and medium with satisfaction with life. It is concluded that SPANE is reliable and shows evidence of validity among Mexican student of psychology and medicine, and the bifactor model is adequate to represent affective balance.

Contraste del Modelo Jerárquico Tetrafactorial para el Test de Actitud Corporal en Mujeres Mexicanas / Testing the 4 Factor Hierarchical Model for the Body Attitude Test in Mexican Women

Resumen El Body Attitude Test (BAT) fue desarrollado para evaluar la experiencia subjetiva hacia el propio cuerpo y las actitudes que se tienen con el mismo en muestra clínica de mujeres con desórdenes alimentarios. Objetivo. Este estudio toma la versión en español del BAT y analiza su estructura, su consistencia interna e invarianza factorial en una muestra de adolescentes mexicanas. Método. Se usó un análisis factorial confirmatorio para evaluar la estructura factorial subyacente e identificar la validez de constructo del modelo de medición, así como se realizó un análisis de la invarianza factorial. Participantes. La muestra se conformó por 571 mujeres con una media de edad de 15.2 (DE=2.51). Resultados. El análisis de consistencia interna mostró una alta confiabilidad para el conjunto de 20 ítems igual a la propuesta original. La estructura tetrafactorial fue confirmada en el total de la muestra mediante una validación cruzada de la misma, dividida en pares y nones obteniendo valores de bondad de ajuste adecuados (x2/gl = 3.615; RMSEA = .068; CFI = .917; TLI = .903; IFI=.917; NFI= .889). La estructura modelada fue estrictamente invariante en los grupos analizados de preadolescentes y adolescentes. Conclusiones. Se concluye que el BAT posee propiedades psicométricas apropiadas para población no clínica de adolescentes, no obstante, se requieren de futuras investigaciones que incluyan población clínica.

Abstract The Body Attitude Test (BAT) was developed to evaluate the subjective experience and the attitudes towards the own body in a clinical sample of women with eating disorders. Objective. This study takes the Spanish version of the BAT and analyzes its factorial structure, internal consistency and invariance in a sample of Mexican women. Method. A confirmatory factorial analysis was used to evaluate the underlying factor structure and identify the construct validity of the measurement model, as well as an analysis of the factorial invariance. Participants. The sample consisted of 571 women with an average age of 15.2 (SD=2.51). Results. The internal consistency analysis showed a high reliability for the set of 20 items equal to the original proposal. The tetrafactorial structure was confirmed in the total of the sample through a cross-validation, dividing the sample into pairs and odds with adequate goodness-of-fit values (x2 / df = 3.615, RMSEA = .068, CFI = .917, TLI = .903, IFI = .917, NFI = .889). The modeled structure was strictly invariant in the analyzed groups of preadolescents and adolescents. Conclusions. It is concluded that the BAT possesses psychometric properties appropriate for the nonclinical population of women, however, future investigations that include a clinical population are required.

Clostridium strain selection for co-culture with Bacillus subtilis for butanol production from agave hydrolysates.

In this work, three Clostridium strains were tested for butanol production from Agave lechuguilla hydrolysates to select one for co-culturing. The agave hydrolysates medium was supplemented with nutrients and reducing agents to promote anaerobiosis. Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 had the highest butanol production (6.04 g/L) and was selected for further analyses. In the co-culture process, Bacillus subtilis CDBB 555 was used to deplete oxygen and achieve anaerobic conditions required for butanol production. The co-culture was prepared with C. acetobutylicum and B. subtilis without anaerobic pretreatment. Butanol production in co-culture from agave hydrolysates was compared with experiments using synthetic medium with glucose and a pure culture of C. acetobutylicum. The maximum butanol concentration obtained was 8.28 g/L in the co-cultured hydrolysate medium. Results obtained in the present work demonstrated that agave hydrolysates have the potential for butanol production using a co-culture of B. subtilis and C. acetobutylicum without anaerobic pretreatment.

Are Psychological Beliefs built on the Ideology of Early Christian Fathers? / ¿Se basan las Creencias Psicológicas en la Ideología de los Padres de la Iglesia Cristiana Temprana?

Abstract The aims of the present study were to investigate the relationship between: a) Patristic ideology and mentalist and behaviorist beliefs, and b) the relationship between mentalist and behaviorist beliefs and cognitive, neuropsychological and interbehavioral beliefs. The beliefs were assessed through an instrument purposely built for this research. A sample composed of 284 university students of first-semester psychology (84 men and 200 women; mean ages M = 17.82 years, SD = 2.34, range 16-38 years) were enrolled. After performing structural equation modelling (SEM), results show that patristic ideology is not related to behaviorism (β = .09, p = .387), but it is related with mentalism (β = .26, p = .042), also the mentalism is related with cognitive beliefs (β = .72, p =.001) and neuropsychological beliefs (β = .87, p = .014), while behaviorism is related with interbehavioral beliefs (β = .42, p = .014). It was found that first-year psychology students show less acceptance of the early patristic ideology (M = 75.28), it is less successful than mentalism (M = 86.33). The conclusion is that mentalism, successor of Patristic ideology, continues to be related to cognitive and neuropsychological beliefs.

Resumen En este artículo se lleva a cabo primeramente una revisión teórica de filosofía, ciencia y psicología. Posteriormente, los orígenes de la psicología y sus creencias se analizan a partir de la historia de la antigua Grecia. Finalmente, se realiza una revisión de la ideología patrística y escolástica. Los objetivos del presente estudio fueron investigar la relación entre: a) la ideología patrística y las creencias mentalistas y conductistas, y b) la relación entre las creencias mentalistas y conductistas y las creencias cognitivas, neuropsicológicas e interconductuales. Las creencias fueron evaluadas a través de un instrumento creado ex profeso para esta investigación. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 284 estudiantes universitarios de psicología de primer semestre (84 hombres y 200 mujeres, edad media M = 17.82 años, SD = 2.34, rango 16-38 años). Después de realizar el modelamiento de ecuaciones estructurales (SEM, por sus siglas en inglés), los resultados muestran que la ideología patrística no está relacionada con el conductismo (β = .09, p = .387), pero está relacionada con el mentalismo (β = .26, p = .042), también el mentalismo está relacionado con creencias cognitivas (β = .72, p = .001) y creencias neuropsicológicas (β = .87, p = .014), mientras que el conductismo está relacionado con creencias interconductuales (β = .42, p = .014 ) Se encuentra que los estudiantes de psicología de primer año muestran una menor aceptación de la ideología patrística temprana (M = 75.28), es menos exitoso que el mentalismo (M = 86.33). Sin embargo, a pesar de este descenso en prestigio, los estudiantes universitarios, quienes apenas han iniciado su carrera de psicología consideran a la ideología Patrística más creíble (M = 75.28) que el conductismo (M = 63.23). En otras palabras, aparentemente a estos estudiantes les parece más coherente creer que hay dos substancias incompatibles coexistiendo en uno mismo que aceptar que solo hay una. La conclusión es que el mentalismo, sucesor de la ideología patrística, sigue estando relacionado con las creencias cognitivas y neuropsicológicas.

Construct validity of a new scale for assessing anger proneness (APS-G) / Propiedades psicométricas de una nueva escala para evaluar la propensión a la ira (APS-G)

Abstract Introduction The negative effects of anger on health highlight the value of developing short, reliable, and valid instruments that allow its assessment whether for the purpose of research, clinical diagnosis, and/or evaluation of interventions aimed at reducing it effectively. Objective The primary aim of this research was to determine the construct, convergent, and discriminant validity, as well as the factorial invariance, of a new scale to measure anger proneness. Method A confirmatory factorial analysis was used. Results An online nonprobability sample composed of 457 participants (35.2% men and 64.8% women), with a mean age of 36.87 years (SD = 12.513) was recruited. The unidimensional model of the García's Brief Scale for Assessing Anger Proneness (APS-G scale) shows a good data fit (df = 2; χ2 = 5.515; χ2/df = 2.575; CFI = .993; GFI = .996; RMSEA = .051; SRMR = .0193). There are factorial, configural, metric, unrestricted, strong, and strict factorial invariances between men and women. Likewise, a positive correlation coefficient exists between the APS-G scale and the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 (STAXI-2) (r = .561; p < .01); on the other hand, there is a negative correlation coefficient between the studied scale and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) (r = -.179; p < .01). Discussion and conclusion A new reliable and valid instrument to measure anger proneness has been created, and its use is proposed for research and screening purposes with Spanish-speaking population.

Resumen Introducción Los efectos negativos de la ira sobre la salud apuntan a la importancia de desarrollar instrumentos cortos, confiables y válidos que permitan su evaluación, ya sea con propósitos de investigación, diagnóstico clínico y/o evaluaciones de intervenciones que la reduzcan de manera efectiva. Objetivo El objetivo primario fue determinar la validez de constructo, convergente y discriminante, así como la invarianza factorial, de una nueva escala para medir la disposición a la ira. Método Se usó un análisis factorial confirmatorio para evaluar la estructura factorial subyacente y para identificar la validez de constructo del modelo de medición. Resultados Se reclutó una muestra en línea no probabilística compuesta por 457 participantes (35.2% hombres y 64.8% mujeres), con una edad promedio de 36.87 años (DE = 12.513). El modelo de medición muestra una buena bondad de ajuste para la escala unidimensional EPI-G (gl = 2; χ2 = 5.515; χ2/gl = 2.575; CFI = .993; GFI = .996; RMSEA = .051; SRMR = .0193). Se encuentra invarianza factorial configuracional, métrica, fuerte y estricta entre hombres y mujeres, además de una correlación positiva entre la escala propuesta y la Expresión Externa de la Ira del STAXI-2 (r = .561; p < .01) y negativa con la escala de Satisfacción con la Vida (SWLS) (r = -.179; p < .01). Discusión y conclusión Un nuevo instrumento para medir la disposición a la ira fue creado para propósitos de investigación y tamizaje, sobre todo en población hispanohablante.

Autohydrolysis pretreatment assessment in ethanol production from agave bagasse.

The aim of the present work was to assess the autohydrolysis pretreatment of Agave tequilana bagasse for ethanol production. The pretreatment was conducted using a one-liter high pressure Parr reactor under different severity factors (SF) at a 1:6w/v ratio (solid:liquid) and 200rpm. The solids obtained under the selected autohydrolysis conditions were subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis with a commercial cellulase cocktail, and the enzymatic hydrolysate was fermented using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The results obtained from the pretreatment process showed that the glucan content in the pretreated solid was mostly preserved, and an increase in the digestibility was observed for the case with a SF of 4.13 (190°C, 30min). Enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreated solids showed a yield of 74.3%, with a glucose concentration of 126g/L, resulting in 65.26g/L of ethanol after 10h of fermentation, which represent a 98.4% conversion according to the theoretical ethanol yield value.

Pediatric perioperative cardiac arrest and mortality: a study from a tertiary teaching hospital.

OBJECTIVES: A previous survey performed in our institution demonstrated perioperative pediatric cardiac arrest and mortality rates of 22.9 and 9.8 per 10,000 anesthetics, respectively, and an anesthesia-related cardiac arrest rate of 4.58 per 10,000 anesthetics. Changes in pediatric practices (i.e., safer anesthesia techniques and change in population) may have altered cardiac arrest rates. The aim of this investigation was to reexamine the perioperative and anesthesia-related cardiac arrest rates, causes, and outcomes in a Brazilian institution. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: Tertiary teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Children less than 18 years old, who were administered an anesthetic between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2010, were included in this study. The cardiac arrest cases were identified from an anesthesia database. The data included children's characteristics, surgical procedures, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification, surgical areas, and surgery type. The outcomes were perioperative cardiac arrest and mortality and anesthesia-related (totally or partially) cardiac arrest and mortality. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: There were 10,649 anesthetics during the study period, with 22 perioperative cardiac arrests and 11 deaths (20.65 and 10.32 per 10,000 anesthetics, respectively). A high incidence of perioperative cardiac arrest occurred in American Society of Anesthesiologists IV-V neonates and infants who underwent emergency surgery. There were no perioperative cardiac arrests in children aged 13 through 17, no anesthesia-related cardiac arrest in American Society of Anesthesiologists I-III children, and no totally anesthesia-related cardiac arrest. The anesthesia-related cardiac arrest rate was 2.81 per 10,000 anesthetics, with no anesthesia-related mortality. Respiratory events accounted for all of the anesthesia-related cardiac arrests. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the improvements achieved in the pediatric anesthesia safety in our institution, the perioperative cardiac arrest rates are still high and similar to the developing countries rates, with the child's disease or condition being the most important trigger for cardiac arrest. Airway management continues to be the greatest cause of anesthesia-related cardiac arrest.

Agenesia medial orofacial: presentación de un caso / Orofacial medial agenesis: a case report

La agenesia medial orofacial o falsa hendidura media es una malformación congénita poco frecuente que se caracteriza por la ausencia parcial o total del filtrum, la premaxila y la columela. Caso Clínico: se presenta el caso de un lactante con una falsa hendidura media del labio superior con ausencia del prolabium, premaxila y una nariz deprimida fue atendido en la consulta multidisciplinaria de defectos congénitos faciales del Hospital Pediátrico Eduardo Agramonte Piña (AU)

Orofacial medial agenesis or median cleft lip is an infrequent congenital malformation characterized by the partial or total absence of the filtrum, premaxilla and columella. Clinical Case: an infant with orofacial medial agenesis of the upper lip with absence of the prolabium, premaxilla and a depressed nose was presented. The infant was treated at the Pediatric Hospital Eduardo Agramonte Piña (AU)

Agenesia medial orofacial: presentación de un caso / Orofacial medial agenesis: a case report

Fundamento: la agenesia medial orofacial o falsa hendidura media es una malformación congénita poco frecuente que se caracteriza por la ausencia parcial o total del filtrum, la premaxila y la columela. Caso Clínico: se presenta el caso de un lactante con una falsa hendidura media del labio superior con ausencia del prolabium, premaxila y una nariz deprimida fue atendido en la consulta multidisciplinaria de defectos congénitos faciales del Hospital Pediátrico Eduardo Agramonte Piña. Se describen las características clínicas de la enfermedad y el tratamiento quirúrgico realizado, se utilizó los principios de la técnica de Millard para casos de fisura bilateral. Conclusiones: la agenesia medial orofacial es una malformación rara, existen pocos casos descritos en la literatura nacional y extranjera. Con la técnica quirúrgica utilizada para la reconstrucción del labio, se obtuvieron resultados estéticos satisfactorios.

Background: orofacial medial agenesis or median cleft lip is an infrequent congenital malformation characterized by the partial or total absence of the filtrum, premaxilla and columella. Clinical case: an infant with orofacial medial agenesis of the upper lip with absence of the prolabium, premaxilla and a depressed nose was presented. The infant was treated at the Pediatric Hospital Eduardo Agramonte Piña. Clinical characteristics of the disease and surgical treatment were discussed. The principles of Millard technique were used for bilateral cleft cases. Conclusions: orofacial medial agenesis is a rare malformation, there are few cases described in the national and foreign literature. Satisfactory esthetic results were obtained with the surgical technique used for the reconstruction of the lip.