We present high-resolution (R approx 60,000) optical spectra of a carefully selected sample of heavily obscured and presumably massive O-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars in the Magellanic ...Clouds. We report the discovery of strong Rb I lines at 7800 A in four Rb-rich LMC stars at luminosities equal to or greater than the standard adopted luminosity limit for AGB stars (M{sub bol} approx -7.1), confirming that 'hot bottom burning' may produce a flux excess in the more massive AGB stars. In the SMC sample, just one of the five stars with M{sub bol} < -7.1 was detected in Rb; the other stars may be massive red supergiants. The Rb-rich LMC AGB stars might have stellar masses of at least approx6-7 M{sub sun}. Our abundance analyses show that these Rb-rich stars are extremely enriched in Rb by up to 10{sup 3}-10{sup 5} times solar but seem to have only mild Zr enhancements. The high Rb/Zr ratios, if real, represent a severe problem for the s-process, even if the {sup 22}Ne source is operational as expected for massive AGB stars; it is not possible to synthesize copious amounts of Rb without also overproducing Zr. The solution to the problem may lie with an incomplete present understanding of the atmospheres of luminous AGB stars.
Relatively few studies have examined the incidence of anaphylaxis in the general population. To report the incidence of anaphylaxis among the general population of the city of Alcorcon, Spain, using ...various public health care databases. Episodes of anaphylaxis were recovered using validated alphanumeric strings in different fields of electronic clinical records used in the different public health settings in the city of Alcorcon (primary care, Emergency Department, hospitalized patients and Allergy Outpatient Clinic). Patients with anaphylaxis were tracked across the different clinical settings in Alcorcon. The incidence of anaphylaxis in Alcorcon was 103.37 episodes per 100 000 person-years (total standardized incidence rate of 112.2). There was a peak of 313.58 episodes in the 0-4 years age group and a different distribution of incidence rates (although non-significant) among different age groups between male patients and female patients. In most age groups, incidence tended to be higher for female patients aged over 10 years. Patients were attended at two or more levels in 76.78% of episodes, and a new evaluation was often made at a primary care centre (71.43%), Allergy Outpatient Clinic (75.6%), or both after the episode (58.93%). This study revealed a higher rate of anaphylaxis than that in previous studies, although this incidence rate is probably lower than the real incidence rate. Studies exploring potential methodological, genetic and environmental factors accounting for these higher rates of anaphylaxis are required.
Knowledge about clonal diversity and selection is critical to understand multiple myeloma (MM) pathogenesis, chemoresistance and progression. If targeted therapy becomes reality, identification and ...monitoring of intraclonal plasma cell (PC) heterogeneity would become increasingly demanded. Here we investigated the kinetics of intraclonal heterogeneity among 116 MM patients using 23-marker multidimensional flow cytometry (MFC) and principal component analysis, at diagnosis and during minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring. Distinct phenotypic subclones were observed in 35/116 (30%) newly diagnosed MM patients. In 10/35 patients, persistent MRD was detected after 9 induction cycles, and longitudinal comparison of patient-paired diagnostic vs MRD samples unraveled phenotypic clonal tiding after therapy in half (5/10) of the patients. After demonstrating selection of distinct phenotypic subsets by therapeutic pressure, we investigated whether distinct fluorescence-activated cell-sorted PC subclones had different clonogenic and cytogenetic profiles. In half (5/10) of the patients analyzed, distinct phenotypic subclones showed different clonogenic potential when co-cultured with stromal cells, and in 6/11 cases distinct phenotypic subclones displayed unique cytogenetic profiles by interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization, including selective del(17p13). Collectively, we unravel potential therapeutic selection of preexisting diagnostic phenotypic subclones during MRD monitoring; because phenotypically distinct PCs may show different clonogenic and cytogenetic profiles, identification and follow-up of unique phenotypic-genetic myeloma PC subclones may become relevant for tailored therapy.
The Parr 1341 plain jacket calorimeter was assembled and calibrated with certificated benzoic acid pellets (NIST Standard Material Reference 39j), the energy equivalent, ε(calor) = (9930.1 ± 2.2) J K
...−1
, was obtained from five standardization tests. The static bomb adiabatic calorimeter in the oxygen atmosphere was tested with acetanilide and after was used to calculate the standard molar enthalpies of formation in solid phase at 298.15 K, of 4,4'-methylenedi(phenylene isocyanate) and of three polyamide-imides chemically synthesized.
Introduction: In 2020, several countries established a global emergency state. Lockdowns restricted people's lifestyles and daily activities to prevent coronavirus spread. These measures hindered ...diabetes mellitus control and lifestyle changes. This study aims to evaluate if attending a multidisciplinary program before the pandemic helped maintain a good metabolic state, lifestyle modifications, and mental health in patients with diabetes mellitus during the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods: Patients included in this study attended a multidisciplinary program, with <5 years of diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, without disabling complications, between 18-70 years old. The complete lockdown occurred from February 27, 2020, to May 31, 2020. The first patient (non-COVID) to return to the center for face-to-face consultation was in March 2021. Consultations in 2019 were face-to-face and changed to a virtual modality during 2020. We analyzed metabolic, lifestyle, mental health, and diabetes education parameters. Results: A total of 133 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were included with complete information in visits before and during the lockdown. Metabolic parameters and self-care measures (nutrition plan, foot evaluation, and self-glucose monitoring) evaluated on our patients had no change during the lockdown. We found a significant increase in the time patients spent sitting during the day (p<0.05). Barriers to exercise increased during lockdown, being joint pain (3.8% to 12.0%, p<0.01) and lack of time to exercise (4.5% to 7.5%, p=0.33) being the most common. There was no significant difference in symptoms of anxiety and depression, quality of life, and empowerment. Conclusion: A multidisciplinary diabetes mellitus program, including diabetes education for self-care activities, positively impacts patients, maintaining good outcomes despite lockdown difficulties. Keywords: multidisciplinary care, lifestyle, self-care, mental health, type 2 diabetes, COVID-19 pandemics
Powering electrochemical technologies with renewable energies is a promising way to get more sustainable environmental remediation techniques. However, the operational conditions of those processes ...must be optimized to undergo fast and efficient treatments. In this work, the influence of electrical and hydraulic connections in the performance of a set of two electrolyzers directly powered by photovoltaic panels was evaluated. Despite both electrolyzers were assembled using the same electrode material, they showed different performances. Results indicate that the electrolyzer with higher ohmic resistance and higher overpotential attained a greater production of oxidant species, being produced under the most efficient strategy around 4.8 and 15.1 mmol of oxidants per Ah by electrolyzer 1 and 2, respectively. Nevertheless, an excess of oxidant production because of an inefficient energy management, led to low removal efficiencies as a consequence of a waste of energy into undesirable reactions. Regarding the hydraulic distribution of wastewater between the cells, it was found to influence on the total remediation attained, being the serial connection 2.5 and 1.8 more efficient than a parallel wastewater distribution under series and parallel electrical strategies, respectively. Regarding electrical strategies, parallel connections maximize the use of power produced by the photovoltaic panels. Furthermore, this allows the system to work under lower current densities, reducing the mass transfer limitations. Considering both advantages, a hydraulic connection of the cells in series and an electrical connection in parallel was found to reach the highest specific removal of pollutant, 2.52 mg clopyralid (Wh)-1. Conversely, the opposite strategy (parallel hydraulic connection-series electrical connection) showed the lowest remediation ratio, 0.48 mg clopyralid (Wh)-1. These results are important to be considered in the design of electrolytic treatments of waste directly powered by photovoltaic panels, because they show the way to optimize the cells stack layout in full-scale applications, exhibiting significant impact on the sustainability of the electrochemical application.
•The higher is the ohmic resistance, the higher is production of oxidant species.•Series hydraulic strategy attains higher hydraulic retention times and efficiencies.•Electrical parallel connection strategy attains the highest efficiencies.•More than 4 times improvement in the specific removal of pollutants attainable.
Abstract
Background
HIV incidence can be estimated with cross-sectional studies using clinical, serological, and molecular data. Worldwide, HIV incidence data in only men who have sex with men (MSM) ...are scarce and principally focus on those with healthcare or under treatment. However, better estimates can be obtained through studies with national representativeness. The objective was to estimate the prevalence, incidence, and factors associated with acquiring HIV in a national sample of MSM who attend meeting places, considering geographical regions.
Methods
A nationally representative survey of MSM attending meeting places was performed in Mexico. Participants answered a questionnaire, and a dried blood spot (DBS) was collected. Samples were classified as recent infections using an algorithm with HIV status, antiretroviral therapy, and the result of BED-EIA assay. Parameters were analysed considering regions and demographic and sexual behaviour characteristics.
Results
The national HIV prevalence was 17.4% with regional differences; the highest prevalence (20.7%) was found in Mexico City, and the lowest prevalence was found in the West region (11.5%). The incidence was 9.4 per 100 p/y, with regional values from 6.2 to 13.2 for the Northeast and the Centre regions, respectively. Age, age at sexual debut, low wealth index, and rewarded sex were associated with HIV prevalence. Centre region, use of private clinics as health services, and having sex exclusively with men were associated with recent HIV infections.
Conclusions
The incidence and prevalence showed regional differences, suggesting a difference in the dynamics of HIV transmission; some regions have a greater case accumulation, and others have a greater rate of new infections. Understanding this dynamic will allow developing health programs focused on HIV prevention or treating people already living with HIV.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
In a randomized trial involving patients with acute pancreatitis, early aggressive fluid resuscitation resulted in increased fluid overload without improvement in clinical outcomes.
•Chronic stress or corticosterone administration induced immunosuppression in mice•Capsaicin restore between 60–90% of the immune response of immunosuppressed animals•Capsaicin generated ...immunomodulation of the Th1/Th2 cytokine profile•Capsaicin acts as adaptogen since modulated the increase of corticosterone
Although acute stress generally exerts positive effects on the immune system, chronic stress typically causes immunosuppression via the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. In this study, the effects of capsaicin (1.28 mg/kg intraperitoneally i.p. for 7 days) on immune parameters were evaluated under conditions of chronic stress. Capsaicin treatment significantly increased the immune response as evaluated by the delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction to dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) and splenocyte proliferation assays- It also is able to rescue the splenocytes of the apoptosis induced by stress. The capsaicin treatment increased the production of Th1 cytokines and decreased the production of Th2 cytokines and TGF-β1 in the plasma and culture supernatants of immunosuppressed mice, which is associated with the modulation of Th2 induced by stress cells. Moreover, the production of corticosterone significantly decreased in capsaicin-treated animals as compared to control groups. The capsaicin treatment further attenuated the immunosuppression induced by the corticosterone treatment (40 mg/kg i.p. for 7 days), albeit less potently, as exhibited in the DTH response. Intriguingly, the capsaicin treatment decreased the induction of IL-10, IL-4, and TGF-β1 through high doses of corticosterone, indicating direct cellular immunomodulation. These results show, that capsaicin is able to modulate chronic stress-induced immunosuppression, mediating corticosterone released inhibition, but also, that capsaicin significantly modulates the pharmacological action of corticosterone in vivo.
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