Utilisation of CO2 as "Structure Modifier" of Inorganic Solids.

Utilisation of CO2 as a chemical reagent is challenging, due to the molecule's inherent chemical stability. However, CO2 reacts promptly at high temperature (∼1000 °C) with alkaline-earth oxides to form carbonates and such reactions are used towards capture and re-utilisation. In this work, this concept is extended and CO2 is utilised as a reagent to modify the crystal structure of mixed-metal inorganic solids. Modification of the crystal structure is a "tool" used by materials scientists to tailor the physical property of solids. CO2 gas was reacted with several isostructural mixed-metal oxides Sr2 CuO3 , Sr1.8 Ba0.2 CuO3 and Ba2 PdO3 . These oxides are carefully selected to show anion vacancies in their crystal structure, to act as host sites for CO2 molecules, leading to the formation of carbonate anions, (CO3 )2- . The corresponding oxide carbonates were formed successfully and the favourable formation of SrCO3 as secondary phase was minimised via an innovative, yet simple synthetic procedure involving alternating of CO2 and air. We also derived a simple model to predict the kinetics of the reactions for the cuprates, using first-principles density functional theory and assimilating the reaction to a gas-surface process.

Change in decision-making skills and risk for eating disorders in adolescence: A population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the growing interest in the involvement of decision-making under conditions of risk in the onset of eating disorders in adolescence, no studies have investigated how the development of decision-making across that period may influence such a risk. Using data from the Millennium Cohort Study this study explored whether changes in performance on the Cambridge Gambling Task (CGT) between age 11 and age 14 were associated with presence of eating disorder (ED) symptoms at age 14. METHODS: Latent class analysis was used to identify groups with distinct profiles based on their responses to questions investigating eating and dieting at age 14. CGT change scores were used as predictors of latent class membership in a logistic regression while accounting for confounders. RESULTS: In our sample of 11,303 participants, the best class solution was a two-class one reflecting high and low risk for ED symptoms. Higher risk-taking scores and lower quality of decision-making scores at age 11 were associated with increased odds of belonging to the high-risk group at age 14. Risk-taking was reduced from age 11 to age 14, but a smaller reduction was associated with a higher probability of being in the higher risk group at age 14. The change over time in the other CGT measures was not associated with risk for ED symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Atypical change in risk-taking from early to middle adolescence may be implicated in the risk of ED symptoms in middle adolescence. These results should be replicated in clinical samples.

Bi2WO6/C-Dots/TiO2: A Novel Z-Scheme Photocatalyst for the Degradation of Fluoroquinolone Levofloxacin from Aqueous Medium.

Photocatalytic materials and semiconductors of appropriate structural and morphological architectures as well as energy band gaps are materials needed for mitigating current environmental problems, as these materials have the ability to exploit the full spectrum of solar light in several applications. Thus, constructing a Z-scheme heterojunction is an ideal approach to overcoming the limitations of a single component or traditional heterogeneous catalysts for the competent removal of organic chemicals present in wastewater, to mention just one of the areas of application. A Z-scheme catalyst possesses many attributes, including enhanced light-harvesting capacity, strong redox ability and different oxidation and reduction positions. In the present work, a novel ternary Z-scheme photocatalyst, i.e., Bi2WO6/C-dots/TiO2, has been prepared by a facile chemical wet technique. The prepared solar light-driven Z-scheme composite was characterized by many analytical and spectroscopic practices, including powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), photoluminescence (PL) and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The photocatalytic activity of the Bi2WO6/C-dots/TiO2 composite was evaluated by studying the degradation of fluoroquinolone drug, levofloxacin under solar light irradiation. Almost complete (99%) decomposition of the levofloxacin drug was observed in 90 min of sunlight irradiation. The effect of catalyst loading, initial substrate concentration and pH of the reaction was also optimized. The photocatalytic activity of the prepared catalyst was also compared with that of bare Bi2WO6, TiO2 and TiO2/C-dots under optimized conditions. Scavenger radical trap studies and terephthalic acid (TPA) fluorescence technique were done to understand the role of the photo-induced active radical ions that witnessed the decomposition of levofloxacin. Based on these studies, the plausible degradation trail of levofloxacin was proposed and was further supported by LC-MS analysis.

Fluoride doped γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles with increased MRI relaxivity.

Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONs) are being actively researched and experimented with as contrast agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), as well as image-directed delivery of therapeutics. The efficiency of an MRI contrast agent can be described by its longitudinal and transverse relaxivities, r1 and r2. γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles - doped with fluoride in a controlled manner and functionalised with citric acid - showed a 3-fold increase in r1 and a 17-fold increase in r2 in a magnetic field of 3 T and almost 6-fold increase in r1 and a 14-fold increase in r2 at 11 T. Following fluorination, PXRD shows that the crystal structure of γ-Fe2O3 is maintained, Mössbauer spectroscopy shows that the oxidation state of the Fe cation is unchanged and HREM shows that the particle size does not vary. However, magnetisation curves show a large increase in the coercive field, pointing towards a large increase in the magnetic anisotropy for the fluorinated nanoparticles compared to the un-doped γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. Therefore, a chemically induced increase in magnetic anisotropy appears to be the most relevant parameter responsible for the large increase in relaxivity for γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles.

From neurological soft signs to functional outcome in young individuals in treatment with secondary services for non-psychotic disorders: a path analysis.

BACKGROUND: Functional decline among patients with mental illness is not unique to individuals with psychotic disorders. Despite this, research on early predictors of functional outcome mainly focused on individuals thought to have an 'at risk mental state' (ARMS) for psychosis. There is evidence suggesting that certain early vulnerability markers, such as neurological soft signs (NSS), may explain variability in functional outcomes independent of the level of psychosis risk and the traditional diagnostic classification. METHOD: Structural equation modeling was applied to baseline data from a prospective longitudinal study of 138 young individuals in treatment with secondary services for non-psychotic disorders. We evaluated theoretically based models of pathways to functional outcome starting from NSS. The intervening variables were established according to previous evidence and drawn from two general categories: cognition (neuro- and social-) and negative symptoms (expressive and experiential). RESULTS: A final trimmed model was a single path running from NSS to neurocognition to experiential negative symptoms to outcome. It could not be improved by adding or dropping connections that would change the single path to multiple paths. The indirect effect from NSS to outcome was significant. The validity of the model was independent of the ARMS status and the psychiatric diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide evidence for a single pathway model in which the starting and intervening variables represent modifiable trans-diagnostic therapeutic targets to improve functional trajectories in young individuals with a recent-onset psychiatric diagnosis and different levels of psychosis risk.

Psychosis prediction in secondary mental health services. A broad, comprehensive approach to the "at risk mental state" syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Accuracy of risk algorithms for psychosis prediction in "at risk mental state" (ARMS) samples may differ according to the recruitment setting. Standardized criteria used to detect ARMS individuals may lack specificity if the recruitment setting is a secondary mental health service. The authors tested a modified strategy to predict psychosis conversion in this setting by using a systematic selection of trait-markers of the psychosis prodrome in a sample with a heterogeneous ARMS status. METHODS: 138 non-psychotic outpatients (aged 17-31) were consecutively recruited in secondary mental health services and followed-up for up to 3 years (mean follow-up time, 2.2 years; SD=0.9). Baseline ARMS status, clinical, demographic, cognitive, and neurological soft signs measures were collected. Cox regression was used to derive a risk index. RESULTS: 48% individuals met ARMS criteria (ARMS-Positive, ARMS+). Conversion rate to psychosis was 21% for the overall sample, 34% for ARMS+, and 9% for ARMS-Negative (ARMS-). The final predictor model with a positive predictive validity of 80% consisted of four variables: Disorder of Thought Content, visuospatial/constructional deficits, sensory-integration, and theory-of-mind abnormalities. Removing Disorder of Thought Content from the model only slightly modified the predictive accuracy (-6.2%), but increased the sensitivity (+9.5%). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that in a secondary mental health setting the use of trait-markers of the psychosis prodrome may predict psychosis conversion with great accuracy despite the heterogeneity of the ARMS status. The use of the proposed predictive algorithm may enable a selective recruitment, potentially reducing duration of untreated psychosis and improving prognostic outcomes.

Structure and Electronic Properties of the Quasi-One-Dimensional Ba2Co1-xZnxS3 Series.

This work focuses on the structure and physical properties of the solid solution Ba2Co1-xZnxS3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1), a family of quasi-one-dimensional sulfides with end members Ba2CoS3 and Ba2ZnS3. The structure of selected compounds with increasing Zn2+ content has been analyzed using neutron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and extended X-ray absorption fine structure, and the physical properties have been analyzed via magnetic susceptibility and resistivity measurements. The progressive substitution of the nonmagnetic Zn2+ cation for Co2+ rapidly destroys the antiferromagnetic transition present at 46 K in the quasi-one-dimensional Ba2CoS3, leading to paramagnetic behavior down to the lowest investigated temperature (5 K) for compounds with x > 0.25. For compounds with x ≥ 0.4, a pure Curie-Weiss regime is recovered around 300 K, yielding effective moments consistent with the g factor of the tetrahedrally coordinated Co2+ previously determined for Ba2CoS3. The substitution of Zn2+ for Co2+ also removes the metallic-like behavior of Ba2CoS3, causing an increase in the value of the resistivity with all the Ba2Co1-xZnxS3 compounds showing semiconducting behavior. The negative magnetoresistance of Ba2CoS3 is improved by the substitution of Zn2+ for Co2+, with values of -6% for Ba2Co0.75Zn0.25S3, -9% for Ba2Co0.5Zn0.5S3, and -8% for Ba2Co0.25Zn0.75S3. However, there does not seem to be a correlation between the values of resistivity and magnetoresistance and the content of Zn2+, leading to the hypothesis that transport properties may be linked more closely to extrinsic properties.

Doping of inorganic materials in microreactors - preparation of Zn doped Fe3O4 nanoparticles.

Microreactor systems are now used more and more for the continuous production of metal nanoparticles and metal oxide nanoparticles owing to the controllability of the particle size, an important property in many applications. Here, for the first time, we used microreactors to prepare metal oxide nanoparticles with controlled and varying metal stoichiometry. We prepared and characterised Zn-substituted Fe3O4 nanoparticles with linear increase of Zn content (ZnxFe3-xO4 with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.48), which causes linear increases in properties such as the saturation magnetization, relative to pure Fe3O4. The methodology is simple and low cost and has great potential to be adapted to the targeted doping of a vast array of other inorganic materials, allowing greater control on the chemical stoichiometry for nanoparticles prepared in microreactors.

New training methods based on mixed reality for interventional ultrasound: Design and validation.

Currently the learning model for ultrasound imaging diagnosis and intervention follows a traditional approach based on learning by doing but this model exposes the patient to the whole learning curve of the novice. In order to enable training in a safe environment without compromising patient's health we have developed and demonstrated face, content and construct validity of a hybrid simulator for ultrasound-guided biopsy. This hybrid simulator is able to provide a support to acquire skills in term of 3D perception and hand-eye coordination thanks to a mixed reality visualization that allows accurate and easy planning of probe position/orientation and needle trajectory to reach the target.

Direct amine-functionalisation of γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles.

A novel and simple preparation of amine-modified γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles is described. The presence of amine groups on the surface, instead of hydroxyl groups, will allow conjugation of biologically active molecules to the iron oxide nanoparticles without the need for a size increasing silica shell. Furthermore, the outer amine-layer increases the temperature of the γ-Fe2O3 to α-Fe2O3 structural transition in a similar way to previously reported cationic substitutions. This may suggest the formation of an oxide-nitride outer layer. Re-dispersion of the amine-modified γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles led to the preparation of stable ferrofluids.

Using high pressure to prepare polymorphs of the Ba2Co(1-x)Zn(x)S3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1.0) compounds.

In this work, high pressure was used as a tool to induce structural transition and prepare metastable polymorphs of ternary sulfides. Structural transformations under high pressure of compounds belonging to the Ba(2)Co(1-x)Zn(x)S(3) (0 ≤ x ≤ 1.0) series were studied using X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. All members of the Ba(2)Co(1-x)Zn(x)S(3) series show the Ba(2)CoS(3)-type one-dimensional structure, but, after heating under pressure, the Ba(2)CoS(3) compound (x = 0) separates into BaS and the two-dimensional BaCoS(2-δ) (δ ≈ 0), while Ba(2)Co(1-x)Zn(x)S(3) compounds with x ≥ 0.25 maintain their one-dimensional features but rearrange into polymorphs showing the Ba(2)MnS(3)-type structure. All structural transformations can be linked to shortening in interchain metal-metal distances caused by the high pressure, and the role of the zinc in preventing loss of one-dimensionality is discussed.

What role for the home learning environment and parenting in reducing the socioeconomic gradient in child development? Findings from the Millennium Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Early child health and development (ECD) is important for health in later life. Objectives were to (1) examine the extent of socioeconomic inequality in markers of ECD at ages 3 and 5 years; (2) examine whether the ECD-income gap widens between these ages; (3) assess the contribution of the home learning environment, family routines and psychosocial environment to observed inequalities in ECD. METHODS: Data on socioemotional difficulties, and tests of cognitive ability in 3-year-old (n=15 382) and 5-year-old (n=15 042) children from the UK Millennium Cohort Study were used. RESULTS: Children in the highest income group were less likely to have socioemotional difficulties compared with those in the lowest income group at 3 and 5 years (2.4% vs 16.4% and 2.0% vs 15.9%, respectively) and had higher mean scores: age 3 'school readiness' 114 versus 99; verbal ability 54 versus 48, and age 5: verbal ability 60 versus 51, non-verbal ability 58 versus 54 and spatial ability 54 versus 48 (all p<0.001). The income gap in verbal ability scores widened between ages 3 and 5 (Wald test, p=0.04). Statistical adjustment for markers of home learning, family routines and psychosocial environments did more to explain the income gap in socioemotional difficulties than in cognitive test scores. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that relationships between family income and markers of ECD are amenable to change. The role of home learning, family routines and psychosocial environmental factors are potentially important in closing income gaps in ECD.

Systems biology and longevity: an emerging approach to identify innovative anti-aging targets and strategies.

Human aging and longevity are complex and multi-factorial traits that result from a combination of environmental, genetic, epigenetic and stochastic factors, each contributing to the overall phenotype. The multi-factorial process of aging acts at different levels of complexity, from molecule to cell, from organ to organ systems and finally to organism, giving rise to the dynamic "aging mosaic". At present, an increasing amount of experimental data on genetics, genomics, proteomics and other -omics are available thanks to new high-throughput technologies but a comprehensive model for the study of human aging and longevity is still lacking. Systems biology represents a strategy to integrate and quantify the existing knowledge from different sources into predictive models, to be later tested and then implemented with new experimental data for validation and refinement in a recursive process. The ultimate goal is to compact the new acquired knowledge into a single picture, ideally able to characterize the phenotype at systemic/organism level. In this review we will briefly discuss the aging phenotype in a systems biology perspective, showing four specific examples at different levels of complexity, from a systemic process (inflammation) to a cascade-process pathways (coagulation) and from cellular organelle (proteasome) to single gene-network (PON-1), which could also represent targets for anti-aging strategies.

Alpha-lipoic acid improves vascular endothelial function in patients with type 2 diabetes: a placebo-controlled randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) treatment on endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilatation, assessed by forearm blood flow (FBF), in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 30 subjects with type 2 diabetes were included in this randomized, controlled, double-blinded, parallel group study. FBF responses to intra-arterial acetylcholine (ACh) and glycerol trinitrate (GTN) were measured before and after 21 days of intravenous treatment with 600 mg alpha-lipoic acid or placebo. RESULTS: FBF responses were comparable at baseline. After treatment, FBF reactivity to ACh and GTN was unchanged in subjects receiving placebo. By contrast, ALA treatment increased endothelium-dependent vasodilatation to ACh (P < 0.05) but not to GTN compared with baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous ALA treatment improves endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in patients with type 2 diabetes, in the absence of effects on forearm vasomotor function. If this salutary action translates into vascular risk reduction remains to be established.

Manejo de las atrofias del maxilar superior clase V de Cawood y Howell mediante la adopción de la cirugíapiezo eléctrica / The management of atrophies classified as v class according to Cawood & Howell by piezo-electric surgery

Introducción: Los casos analizados presentaban atrofias severas (V clase según Cawood y Howell) (1), que se caracterizan por presentar una densidad de la cresta transversal inferior a 4 mm y vertical inferior a 6 mm; ello hace pensar en la posibilidad de una rehabilitación implanto-soportada. Objetivo: Evaluación de la rehabilitación de pacientes afectados por severa atrofia del maxilar superior clase V según Cawood y Howell) (1) rehabilitados con elevación del seno maxilar e injerto de hueso autólogo. Materiales y métodos: Estudio longitudinal a partir de una muestra de 32 pacientes, con atrofia maxilar severa y edentulismo parcial o total. En todos los pacientes se ha colocado un injerto con técnica de reconstrucción onlay mono o bicortical y se ha adoptado la cirugía piezoeléctrica para realizar el elevación del seno, el cual podía ser mono o bilateral, de hueso autólogo procedente de la cresta ilíaca anterior. Seguimiento realizado durante 2 años. Resultados: A los dos años del control final, el 94,05% de todos los implantes colocados tras la intervención de elevación se presentan osteointegrados y cargados protésicamente. La cresta ilíaca anterior resulta ser la zona idónea para la extracción medular, necesaria para la elevación del seno. Las posibilidades de supervivencia del implante son realmente elevadas si se espera el tiempo clínico necesario para la recuperación y la integración del injerto. El éxito de todas las intervenciones de elevación del seno maxilar se debe a la adopción de la cirugía piezoeléctrica, que permite efectuar la incisión de entrada y realizar el desprendimiento de los tejidos con un traumatismo mínimo para la membrana de Schneider. La integridad de la membrana y la utilización de bone-chips de origen autólogo no ha hecho necesario recurrir a la utilización de membranas reabsorbibles, simplificando así el procedimiento quirúrgico. La utilización de la cresta ilíaca anterior como zona donante, permite disponer de abundante tejido óseo cortical, necesario para colocar los onlay y para reconstruir el defecto óseo (AU)

Introduction: Valutation of rehabilitated patients by sinus lift in upper jaw and by autologous bone graft from iliac crest. Materials and methods: Rehabilitation of 32 patients with severe atrophies of upper jaw and partial or total edentulism by positioning of mono- or bicortical onlay with piezosurgery toobtain a sinus lift mono- or bilateral by autologous bone grafts from anterior iliac crest. Results: 94.05% of successes after a two years follow-up. Conclusions: Respecting of timing surgery, a correct use of the piezosurgery technique and of the autologous bone graft from anterior iliac crest let a successful implantological rehabilitation. Moreover the iliac crest is a very good donor site of bone tissue for the management of severe atrophies in the upper jaw. An accidental laceration of Schneider’s membrane was observed infilling phase in the 5.26% of cases (AU)

Increase in magnetoresistivity in Ba2CoS3 via Zn2+/Co2+ substitution.

We report an increase of negative magnetoresistivity from 1.7% to 9% in the Ba(2)Co(0.5)Zn(0.5)S(3) series (0

Reconstrucción preimplante con hueso autólogo deprocedencia sinfisaria en la rehabilitación de defectosóseos transversales de los maxilares: protocoloa realizar en la consulta / Pre-implant recostruction with autologous bone from mental symphysis during transverse maxillary bone atrophies rehabilitation: surgery protocol

Introducción: En los casos examinados, de atrofias de entidad moderada (IV clase de Cawoody Howell) (1), se ha observado un espesor transversal de la cresta inferior a 4 mm, por tanto una rehabilitación implanto soportada resulta difícil de realizar. Finalidad del trabajo: rehabilitación implanto protésica de las atrofias de entidad moderada en los maxilares. Materiales y métodos: 42 implantes realizados en 18 pacientes (8 varones y 10 mujeres, con una edad media de 47.1 años), en maxilar atrófico rehabilitado con la interposición de una muestra de hueso autólogo procedente de la sínfisis mentoniana. Los implantes han sido colocados a los 6 meses de haber aumentado transversalmente la cresta edéntula. Se han valorado: la osteointegración, con niveles de pérdida ósea correspondientes, la condición de los tejidos perimplantarios, el índice de profundidad del saco, de placa y de sangrado, así como el grado de satisfacción del paciente. Resultados: De 42 implantes no se perdió ninguno (0%), una vez finalizada la fase de seguimiento. La pérdida de hueso marginal perimplantario ha sido, en media, de 0,17 mm. Conclusiones: La utilización de muestras autólogas de zonas intraorales para el tratamiento de atrofias de entidad moderada ha demostrado ser una técnica con una predictibilidad elevada, que ha permitido efectuar implantes protésicos con un porcentaje de éxito elevado. Consecuencias clínicas: Aunque este procedimiento prevé dos zonas quirúrgicas en el mismo acto quirúrgico, necesitándose, por tanto, una elevada implicación del paciente, es indiscutible la ventaja de poder intervenir sin anestesia total, con la ayuda, exclusivamente, de anestesia lo corregional (AU)

Introduction: in the case studies the moderate atrophies (Cawood and Howell’s 4th class) is observed a transverse thickness lower than 4 mm, therefore carring out a riabilitation by prosthesis appears very difficoult. Aims: Implanto-prosthesis rehabilitation of moderate maxillary atrophies (Cawood and Howell’s4th class) (1).Materials and Methods: 42 implants in 18 patients (8 males and 10 females, of medium age of47.1 years), in an atrophic maxilla rehabilitated through interposition of autologous bone drawed from mental simphysis. The implantans were located after 6 months from the cross-sectional increase operation of edentulous crest. We have considered: the osteointegration related to bony loss, the perimplant soft tissue condition, depth index of gingival pocket, plaque and bleeding, and even patients satisfaction index. Results: at a complete follow-up no implants were lost. The mean of marginal perimplant bony loss was 0.17 mm. Conclusions: to manage moderate atrophies we have shown a technique with a good prognosis by using autologous drawings from intraoral centers, wich let successfull execution of implanto-prosthesic treatments. Clinical implications: even if the tecnique involves two simultaneous surgery sites, needing an high compliance by the patient, is unquestionable the vantage to can operate without narcosis, only availing of local anesthesia (AU)