This work investigates the efficiency of LED and UV-C photo-reactors for paracetamol degradation using advanced oxidative processes. Among the evaluated processes, photo-Fenton was the most efficient ...for both radiations. Degradations greater than 81% (λ 197 nm) and 91% (λ 243 nm) were obtained in the kinetic study. These degradations were also observed by means of the reduction in the peaks in both spectral scanning and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. The good fit of the Chan and Chu kinetic model shows that the degradation reaction has pseudo-first order behavior. Toxicity tests did not indicate the inhibition of growth of Lactuca sativa seeds and Escherichia coli bacterium. However, the growth of strains of the Salmonella enteritidis bacterium was inhibited in all the samples, demonstrating that only this bacterium was sensitive to solutions. The proposed empirical models obtained from the 2
factorial designs were able to predict paracetamol degradation. These models could, at the same levels assessed, be used to predict the percentage of degradation in studies using other organic compounds. The LED and UV-C photo-reactors were, when employing the photo-Fenton process, able to degrade paracetamol, thus highlighting the efficiency of LED radiation when its power (three times smaller) is compared to that of UV-C radiation.
ABSTRACT
Loliginid squids from the northeastern Pacific are partially sympatric, and their identification is difficult as their diagnostic characters often overlap. Statoliths are hard structures ...that may vary with respect to phylogeny and thus have potential use in taxonomy. This, however, has to be investigated using robust methods. Here, we employ geometric morphometrics to evaluate the taxonomic utility of statolith shape in loliginids caught in Mexican waters and to acquire knowledge on statolith evolution through comparative phylogenetic methods. The loliginid species we examined showed specific statolith morphology that facilitates species identification. Our results also show that statolith shape has a strong phylogenetic signal and is a powerful character for species recognition. The ancestral statolith morphologies are not very different from extant forms, probably reflecting the relatively recent origin of the two genera evaluated and their low evolutionary rate. In addition, the evolution of statolith shape in species of the genus Lolliguncula seems to have been faster than that in the genus Doryteuthis, especially in L. panamensis, which could be related to habitat differentiation in the neritic coastal environment inhabited by loliginid squids. Our analysis of statolith shape demonstrates the potential for combining neontology and paleontology in understanding the diversification of loliginid squids.
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•Commercial coffee quality was determined using FTIR and pattern recognition.•Spectral predictors did not favor the classification performance.•The best fitted model was obtained ...using the PCs from PCA as input variables.•PCA-LDA approach achieved 95 % accuracy in the overall predictions.•The proposed method is reliable for assessing coffee global quality.
Nowadays, coffee has a broad highlight in the international commerce and its qualities are certified according to the Global Quality Program developed by specialized coffee agencies. Expert tasters provide a score classifying the coffees as Gourmet, Superior, Traditional and Inferior. However, due to relatively high-cost, possibility of misclassification, difficulty of large-scale analysis, and mainly to the subjectivity generated by the tasters, the international commerce requires a fast and reliable analysis. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) is a widely disseminated technique in laboratories routine for direct analysis besides successfully applied to measure the coffee quality. In the present work, coffee FTIR spectra were assisted by chemometric tools based on pattern recognition such as principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to find a suitable classification model for authentication purposes. Spectral predictors did not favor the discrimination of coffee samples. LDA performance was greatly improved using the PCs obtained from PCA as input variables. Several models were fitted from these PCs, so that the optimal classifier achieved 95 % accuracy in the overall predictions. This model also showed sensitivities in the range 83–100 % and specificities ranged from 93 to 100 %, indicating that the tuned model is trustworthy to successfully evaluate the commercial coffee authenticity. The developed method is simple, rapid, and environmentally friendly, since not demanding any sample preparation and does not producing waste after analysis. Its application can help to protect coffee market and companies by product quality certification.
Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SP) is a rare disorder.
The objective of this study is to examine a series of patients treated during 19 years, analyzing risk, clinical, and diagnostic factors as well ...as treatment and long-term follow-up.
A descriptive, retrospective study was done from 1984 to 2003 on 32 patients admitted to the hospital with SP.
The average age was 21.4±6.1 years, 24 (75%) males. 34.4% had developed some strain before arriving at the hospital. Nine of the cases were asthmatic (28.1%) and another nine were smokers (28.1%).
The most frequent complaint was thoracic pain, 25 (78.1%). In the physical examination, subcutaneous cervical emphysema was observed in 25 patients (78.1%). A simple X-ray of the thorax was used in the diagnosis of 32 cases. In two patients, radiological signs of pneumothorax were discovered. An esophagogram was done on two patients but there were no significant findings. All of the cases were treated conservatively. The average hospital stay was 3.2±1.6 days. No relapses were noted in the follow-ups.
SP is an entity that evolves correctly without treatment and has no long-term relapses. Once other occasionally associated entities are ruled out, outpatient management can be employed.
This work analyzes the removal of reactive blue BF-5G and chocolate brown textile dyes from an aqueous mixture by using adsorption, advanced oxidative processes (AOP), and the combination of these ...two processes. The adsorbent used was obtained by calcinating chicken eggshells at 1073 K. The carbonization led to an increase in the surface area, diameter, and volume of the pores, the presence of hydroxyl, carboxyl, and carbonyl groups on the surface of the material, which became positively charged. The operational conditions of the adsorptive process that produced the highest percentages of removal were pH 5.5, 2 g L
−1
, and 200 rpm. The kinetic evolution was rapid in the first minutes and was best described by the pseudo-first order (PFO) model, while the equilibrium was attained in 60 min and was best described by the Langmuir model. The AOP that attained the greatest degradation was the photo-Fenton process using pH 3.5, along with iron and hydrogen peroxide concentrations of 3 mg L
−1
and 80 mg L
−1
, respectively, with UV-C radiation. In the kinetic study, the system stabilization occurred after 90 min and had PFO
AOP
behavior. The adsorption and AOP processes proved to be efficient in removing the dyes. However, the combined processes (AOP followed by adsorption) attained the best results. The use of the combined process significantly contributed to the reduction in the toxicity of the solutions. The use of the AOP process followed by adsorption is, therefore, a viable alternative for the treatment of textile dyes.
Protected urban green spaces (PUGS) are exposed to numerous disturbances and threats since they are immersed in highly dynamic socio-ecological systems. PUGS in highly urbanized cities require ...particular conservation strategies. Here, we propose an approach for PUGS management which integrates three components: i) scientific knowledge (monitoring/restoration), ii) community interaction with the environment, and iii) management decision. Our hypothesis asserts that the intersection of these components should produce a solid management program, provided that the obtained multidisciplinary knowledge meets the needs of information required by the community and decision makers. We tested this hypothesis for a small PUGS located within Mexico City at the National Autonomous University of Mexico campus that holds the Ecological Reserve of Pedregal de San Ángel. Through a participatory approach we built a mental model to understand the perceptions of different campus actors (students, academics and administrators), and their social and ecological relationships with this PUGS. Our findings provide insight into the actors’ perceptions and concerns and suggest that the interactions among the three components, although important, are not self-generated and must be constructed. The findings also suggest that one of the management problems is the mismatch between scientific knowledge and conservation programs. It is paramount to include generated knowledge into management and monitoring programs. The complexity of the PUGS requires an active collaboration among actors and monitoring the development of management strategies using the three components while taking the conservation goals into account.
The taxonomy of squids in the family Loliginidae Lesueur, 1821 is complicated due to their inconsistent descriptions which hamper identification at the species level. In this study, a taxonomic ...revision of loliginid squids from the northwestern Atlantic was carried out considering morphological, molecular, and morphometric characteristics. Squid were collected in four oceanographic cruises along the coast of Tamaulipas, Gulf of Mexico during the period of 2012 to 2014. Museum (NMNH) specimens (type and non-type material) of the species reported for this area were also considered. The morphological attributes described for each species allowed us to confirm the identity of
Doryteuthis pealeii
(Lesueur, 1821),
Lolliguncula brevis
(Blainville, 1823), and males of
Doryteuthis pleii
(Blainville, 1823); the identification of females of
D. pleii
and
Doryteuthis roperi
(Cohen, 1976) (the latter only represented by museum material) was not achieved because of the high interspecific similarity. Three genetic clades were detected with COI sequences associated with each of the three field-collected species that were identified morphologically, including the unidentified females, which were recognized as
D. pleii
. The morphometry of these three groups was addressed by canonical variate analysis, which supported the interspecific differences. A multivariate analysis of variance was conducted for
D. roperi
and
D. pleii
due to their high level of morphological similarity. This analysis indicated significant differences; therefore, it did not allow to confirm if
D. roperi
is a synonym of
D. pleii
.
Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) has been shown to be more effective than corticosteroids in achieving mucosal healing in children with Crohn´s disease (CD) without the adverse effects of these ...drugs. The aims of this study were to determine the efficacy of EEN in terms of inducing clinical remission in children newly diagnosed with CD, to describe the predictive factors of response to EEN and the need for treatment with biological agents during the first 12 months of the disease. We conducted an observational retrospective multicentre study that included paediatric patients newly diagnosed with CD between 2014-2016 who underwent EEN. Two hundred and twenty-two patients (140 males) from 35 paediatric centres were included, with a mean age at diagnosis of 11.6 ± 2.5 years. The median EEN duration was 8 weeks (IQR 6.6-8.5), and 184 of the patients (83%) achieved clinical remission (weighted paediatric Crohn's Disease activity index wPCDAI < 12.5). Faecal calprotectin (FC) levels (μg/g) decreased significantly after EEN (830 IQR 500-1800 to 256 IQR 120-585
< 0.0001). Patients with wPCDAI ≤ 57.5, FC < 500 μg/g, CRP >15 mg/L and ileal involvement tended to respond better to EEN. EEN administered for 6-8 weeks is effective for inducing clinical remission. Due to the high response rate in our series, EEN should be used as the first-line therapy in luminal paediatric Crohn's disease regardless of the location of disease and disease activity.
Introduction: Pernicious anemia is the leading cause of vitamin B12 deficiency worldwide, caused by an autoimmune reaction against parietal cells in the gastric mucosa leading to B12 absorption ...impairment. The treatment of pernicious anemia is based on replacement of cobalamin, oral and sublingual routes have been described nevertheless its absorption is erratic. The recommended schedules for vitamin B12 replacement is an intramuscular injection of 1000μg every other day for 1 to 2 weeks followed by weekly injections for a month and then tapered to once a month indefinitely (Green.Blood 2017;129(19):2603-2611). Such an approach can limit treatment adherence for patients in a resource-poor setting and may be unnecessary. Furthermore, the toxicity of cobalamin is minimal, while the benefit of larger doses is unknown.
Objective: We aim to demonstrate that a single mega-dose intramuscular (IM) injection of a multivitamin formulation is sufficient to achieve and maintain a complete hematologic response for a six-month period.
Methods: We performed a single center pilot study approved by our ethics committee and registered in Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03372447). All patients with newly diagnosed, untreated pernicious anemia ≥18 years were included after written informed consent was obtained. A single IM dose of a multivitamin formulation consisting on cobalamin 10,000 μg, thiamin 100 mg, and pyridoxine 50 mg was administered. Complete blood count (CBC) was performed at 15 and 30 days and monthly thereafter for a total of six months. Partial response (PR) was considered when Hb ≥10g/dl, Normal WBC, PLT ≥100x103/μL, Complete response (CR) was defined as Hb ≥12g/dl, normal WBC and PLT. Our primary outcome was normalization of CBC (CR) at 6 months. As secondary outcomes we evaluated safety and measured levels of methylmalonic acid (MMA), homocysteine (HCY) and B12 levels (B12L) at diagnosis, three and six months after treatment.
Results: Eight patients have been enrolled (5 men and 3 women), median age was 58 years (range 25-77). None had neurological symptoms at presentation. Median laboratory values at diagnosis were Hb 5.9 g/dL (range 3.9-10.7), mean corpuscular volume 113.2 fL (range 94.6-122.9), WBC 2.68x103/μL (range 1.26-6.08), PLT 93x103/μL (range 9.75-156,000), lactic dehydrogenase 3082IU/L (range 439-9840), B12L 85 pg/ml (range 83-90), HCY 154.09 μmol/L (range 83.7-182.44), MMA 24435 nmol/L (range 5175-99500). By day 30 all patients achieved PR. At the end of the third month, 100% of patients reached a CR regarding Hb and WBC while 88% of patients reached a complete PLT response. Median Hb increment at 1 month and 3 months was 6.15g/dl (range 3.1-7.74) and 1.8g/dl (range 0.4-3.7) respectively. The difference between Hb concentration at all time-points was statistically significant (ANOVA; p=0.002) particularly in the first 15 days (p=0.025), while post hoc testing revealed that increments in Hb after the second-week post-treatment were not (p>0.05). Until now, 4/8 patients have completed the primary outcome and all of them have maintained CR and normal levels of HCY and B12L without further cobalamin doses, only one patient had an asymptomatic increase of MMA. No adverse events following the administration of multivitamin preparation were documented.
Conclusions: A single dose of a 10,000μg B12 multivitamin was safe and tolerated. Thus far all patients have achieved and maintained a response for at least six months. This simplified single cobalamin administration is an effective option for the treatment of pernicious anemia.
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Gomez-Almaguer:AbbVie: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy.
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