Background
Atherosclerosis represents a cardiovascular risk. Chronic inflammation is a key factor for atherogenic progression. Neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been proposed as a novel ...biomarker for cardiovascular risks. We aimed to explore whether NLR was related to surrogate pro‐atherogenic promoters driving atherogenic progression, as measured by carotid intima‐media thickness (CIMT).
Study Design
Thirty‐one patients with obesity candidates for bariatric surgery were recruited from Centro Médico Nacional “20 de Noviembre”, ISSSTE, Mexico City. The results are part of the “CROP” study (NCT03561987). NLR was calculated from routine complete blood count, and its relation with plasma pro‐inflammatory mediators (hsCRP, TNF‐α and IL‐1β), adipokines (adiponectin and leptin), adiposity markers (visceral adipose tissue VAT determined from CT scan image and VAT individual adipocyte area at histological sample) and CIMT were determined.
Results
Neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio correlated with hsCRP (Spearman's r = 0.70 95% CI 0.46 to 0.85, P < 0.01), TNF‐α (r = 0.69 0.44 to 0.84, P < 0.0001) and adiponectin (r = −0.69 −0.84 to −0.45, P < 0.03), as well as with VAT individual adipocyte area (r = 0.64 0.37 to 0.81, P < 0.0001) and with VAT area (r = 0.43; 0.07 to 0.68, P < 0.01). Leptin and adiponectin showed further independent association with higher NLR (multivariate regression analysis OR 7.9 95% CI 1.1 to 56.2 P = 0.03 and 0.1 0.01 to 1.0 P = 0.05, respectively). Moreover, NLR distribution significantly varied between subgroups divided according to progressive CIMT (P = 0.05); whereas adiponectin and VAT adipocyte area associated with CIMT > 0.9 mm (univariate analysis OR 0.1 0.01 to 1.0 P = 0.05 and 13.1 1.4 to 126.3 P = 0.03, respectively).
Conclusion
Neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio was related to pro‐inflammatory, adiposity biomarkers and progressive subclinical atherogenesis.
The aim of this study is to determine the levels of spike protein IgG and total antibodies in subjects vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 (both infected and non-infected) and the titer evolution over ...time. In addition, we also addressed the performance of each of the included platforms in the study, as they are intended to measure antibody levels in naturally infected patients. An observational study including 288 volunteer healthcare professionals vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 (Comirnaty.sup.TM) at the Andújar Alto Guadalquivir Hospital. Serum samples were obtained in September 2020 and 14 and 90 days after administration of the second dose. The following in vitro methods were used: Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 N and Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S (Roche, Germany) and EliA SARS-CoV-2-Sp1 IgG (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Germany). For the Elecsys S method at 1/10 dilution and for the EliA Sp1 IgG method at 1/5 dilution, 54% and 19% of samples were out of range, respectively. The vaccine activated a high humoral response- 0 to 3000 BAU/mL being the "normal titer range" in all volunteers. Patients vaccinated after COVID-19 exhibited higher total S antibody load values than non-vaccinated volunteers while showing the same response for S IgG isotype. Titers decreased up to 86% in the case of S IgG neutralizing antibodies. The characterization of human response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines is still far from being completely elucidated. It is important to increase the methods dynamic range to study humoral response evolution in depth and decide whether booster doses or seasonal vaccination plans will be necessary to definitively control the pandemic.
Today in the wine industry, oenological tannins are widely used to improve wine quality and prevent oxidation in wine aging. With the development of tannin products, new oenological tannins are ...developed with many specific functions, such as modifying antioxidant effect, colour stabilization and aroma modifications. The aim of this work is to investigate effects of pre-fermentative addition of oenological tannins on wine colour, anthocyanins, volatile compounds and sensorial properties. In this case, Syrah juice was extracted with classic flash thermovinification from fresh must in order to release more colour and tannins. Three types of oenological tannins, which are, respectively, derived from grape skin, seed (
) and French oak (
and
), were selected to carry out the experiments with seven treatments. Results indicated that tannin treatments significantly improved wine aroma complexity and sensorial properties. However, the concentration of some stable pigments such as Vitisin A, Vitisin A-Ac and Vitisin B was negatively affected by tannin additions. Nevertheless, by means of cluster analysis and principal component analysis, it was observed that higher alcohols were significantly promoted by grape seed tannin while most anthocyanins can be improved by addition of grape tannins. In conclusion, low amount of oenological tannin derived from grape seed is a promising method to be applied especially for young red wine making.
Abstract
Background
Diagnosis of maxillary sinus pathology must include the clinical radiological study (CRS) and histopathological analysis. The aim of this study is 1) to describe the ...clinicopathological features of maxillary sinus lesions, obtained successively in a single medical centre over the last 10 years and 2) to determine the sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of malignant lesions based exclusively on the CRS.
Methods
It is a single-centre observational retrospective clinical study on patients who attended the University Hospital Complex of Santiago de Compostela (CHUS) with sinus pathologies during the period of 2009–2019.
Results
The sample consisted of 133 men (62.1%) and 81 women (37.9%), with an average age of 46.9 years (SD = 18.8). In terms of frequency, the most frequent pathology was the unspecified sinusitis (44.4%), followed by polyps (18.2%), malignant tumours (9.8%), inverting papilloma (7.5%), fungal sinusitis (4.7%), cysts (3.7%), benign tumours (2.3%), mucocele (2.3%) and other lesions (1.9%). Cysts and benign tumours were diagnosed earliest Vs malignant tumours (65.2 years (SD = 16.1)) were diagnosed the latest (
p
< 0.001). Based only on the CRS for malignancies, diagnostic indexes were 71.4% sensitivity and 97.9% specificity, with a Kappa value of 0.68 with (
p
< 0.001).
Conclusion
Maxillary sinus pathology is very varied with therapeutic and prognostic repercussions. CRS is sometimes insufficient and histopathological confirmation is essential.
The use of more eco-efficient cements in concretes is one of the keys to ensuring construction industry sustainability. Such eco-efficient binders often contain large but variable proportions of ...industrial waste or by-products in their composition, many of which may be naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs). This study explored the application of a new gamma spectrometric method for measuring radionuclide activity in hybrid alkali-activated cements from solid 5 cm cubic specimens rather than powder samples. The research involved assessing the effect of significant variables such as the nature of the alkaline activator, reaction time and curing conditions to relate the microstructures identified to the radiological behavior observed. The findings showed that varying the inputs generated pastes with similar reaction products (C-S-H, C-A-S-H and (N,C)-A-S-H) but different microstructures. The new gamma spectrometric method for measuring radioactivity in solid 5 cm cubic specimens in alkaline pastes was found to be valid. The variables involved in hybrid cement activation were shown to have no impact on specimen radioactive content. The powder samples, however, emanated
Rn (a descendent of
Ra), possibly due to the deformation taking place in fly ash structure during alkaline activation. Further research would be required to explain that finding.
Implant-based breast reconstructions (IBBRs) increased last years despite the growing indications for radiotherapy in the treatment of breast cancer. As a result, complications and reconstructive ...failures associated to IBBR have increased. Autologous breast reconstruction (ABR) using fat-augmented latissimus dorsi (FALD) has become popular in recent years.
We aimed to evaluate conversion to ABR using latissimus dorsi and immediate fat grafting in 61 cases with IBBR failure.
Immediate reconstruction was found significatively related with an increased number of surgeries resulting from IBBR complications (
< 0.001). Note that 41% of the cases presented a grade III/IV Baker and Palmer capsular contracture, 29% implant extrusion, and 21% implant infection. Mean survival of the first implant was 16.95 months. ABR process was completed in 47% of cases with a single surgery. Statistically significant differences were observed between this fact and previous IBBR failure due to infection (
= 0.03) or extrusion (
= 0.01). Mean volume of fat graft was 429.61 mL, mean length of the surgical procedure was 3.17 hours, and the average length of hospital stay after surgery was 2.67 days. Only 3.3% of the cases developed some major complication. None of the cases presented reconstructive failure.
FALD is a very safe total ABR technique, an important fact in patients with previous reconstructive failures. The large volume of fat that can be grafted in a single surgery allows the reconstruction of breast in a reasonable size. The reduced length of surgery and hospital stay make the FALD technique an option to consider when an autologous but efficient and safe reconstruction is desired.
•Bats serve as natural reservoirs for a variety of viruses.•Transmission of highly pathogenic viruses from bats has been suspected and linked to a spectrum of emerging infectious diseases in humans ...and animals worldwide.•Examples of such viruses include Marburg, Ebola, Nipah, Hendra, Influenza A, Dengue, Equine Encephalitis viruses, Lyssaviruses, Madariaga, and Coronaviruses, involving the now pandemic Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).•Herein, we provide a comprehensive review on the diversity, reservoirs, and geographical distribution of the main bat viruses and their potential for cross-species transmission.
Bats have populated earth for approximately 52 million years, serving as natural reservoirs for a variety of viruses through the course of evolution. Transmission of highly pathogenic viruses from bats has been suspected or linked to a spectrum of potential emerging infectious diseases in humans and animals worldwide. Examples of such viruses include Marburg, Ebolavirus, Nipah, Hendra, Influenza A, Dengue, Equine Encephalitis viruses, Lyssaviruses, Madariaga and Coronaviruses, involving the now pandemic Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Herein, we provide a narrative review focused in selected emerging viral infectious diseases that have been reported from bats.
Demand continues for processing methods to shape covalent organic frameworks (COFs) into macroscopic objects that are needed for their practical applications. Herein, a simple compression method to ...prepare large‐scale, free‐standing homogeneous and porous imine‐based COF‐membranes with dimensions in the centimeter range and excellent mechanical properties is reported. This method entails the compression of imine‐based COF‐aerogels, which undergo a morphological change from an elastic to plastic material. The COF‐membranes fabricated upon compression show good performances for the separation of gas mixtures of industrial interest, N2/CO2 and CH4/CO2. It is believed that the new procedure paves the way to a broader range of COF‐membranes.
Large‐scale free‐standing covalent organic framework (COF)‐membranes are prepared via a simple compression method using imine‐based COF‐aerogel compression. This straightforward method produces free‐standing and homogeneous COF‐membranes with sizes in the centimeter range and excellent mechanical properties. They show good performance for gas separation of mixtures of industrial interest.
The hyaluronic acid (HA) global market growth can be attributed to its use in medical, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical applications; thus, it is important to have validated, analytical methods to ensure ...confidence and security of its use (and to save time and resources). In this work, a size-exclusion chromatography method (HPLC-SEC) was validated to determine the concentration and molecular distribution of HA simultaneously. Analytical curves were developed for concentration and molecular weight in the ranges of 100–1000 mg/L and 0.011–2.200 MDa, respectively. The HPLC-SEC method showed repeatability and reproducibility greater than 98% and limits of detection and quantification of 12 and 42 mg/L, respectively, and was successfully applied to the analysis of HA from a bacterial culture, as well as cosmetic, and pharmaceutical products.
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