Reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) substrates were coated with a composite of PbO
2
and titanate nanosheets (TiNS) by anodic electrophoretic depostion. The structure and morphological characteristics ...of the coating were evaluated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The TiNS/PbO
2
/RVC coating contained the anatase phase and showed a well-defined, microporous morphology with hydrophilic character along the length and thickness of the RVC struts. Electrochemical and photocatalytic activity of the coatings facilitated RB-5 dye degradation as a model organic pollutant in wastewater. The electrochemical decolourisation involves the generation of hydroxyl free radicals over the TiNS/PbO
2
/RVC anode composite surface, whereas photocatalytic decolourisation was driven by the synergetic photocatalytic effect imparted by the photoinduced holes and free electron acceptors. The photocatalytic properties of the TiNS/PbO
2
coating were achieved by calcination at 450 °C for 60 min in air which converted the titanate phase to anatase and modified its surface area. This enabled 98% electrochemical decolourisation of the RB-5 dye solution (measured by visible absorption at 597 nm) in a time of 60 min.
Graphical abstract
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Keratin (K)19, a biliary/hepatic progenitor cell (HPC) marker, is expressed in a subset of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) with poor prognosis. The underlying mechanisms driving this phenotype of ...K19-positive HCC remain elusive.
Clinicopathological value of K19 was compared with EpCAM, and α-fetoprotein, in a Caucasian cohort of 242 consecutive patients (167 surgical specimens, 75 needle biopsies) with different underlying aetiologies. Using microarrays and microRNA profiling the molecular phenotype of K19-positive HCCs was identified. Clinical primary HCC samples were submitted to in vitro invasion assays and to side population analysis. HCC cell lines were transfected with synthetic siRNAs against KRT19 and submitted to invasion and cytotoxicity assays.
In the cohort of surgical specimens, K19 expression showed the strongest correlation with increased tumour size (p<0.01), decreased tumour differentiation (p<0.001), metastasis (p<0.05) and microvascular invasion (p<0.001). The prognostic value of K19 was also confirmed in a set of 75 needle biopsies. Profiling showed that K19-positive HCCs highly express invasion-related/metastasis-related markers (eg, VASP, TACSTD2, LAMB1, LAMC2, PDGFRA), biliary/HPC markers (eg, CD133, GSTP1, NOTCH2, JAG1) and members of the miRNA family 200 (eg, miR-141, miR-200c). In vitro, primary human K19-positive tumour cells showed increased invasiveness, and reside in the chemoresistant side population. Functionally, K19/KRT19 knockdown results in reduced invasion, loss of invadopodia formation and decreased resistance to doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil and sorafenib.
Giving the distinct invasive properties, the different molecular profile and the poor prognostic outcome, K19-positive HCCs should be considered as a seperate entity of HCCs.
Lung cancer is the most common cancer globally and has the highest mortality. Although this disease is not associated with a particular gender, its incidence is rising among women, who are diagnosed ...at an increasingly younger age compared with men. One of the main reasons for this rise is women taking up smoking. However, many non-smoking women also develop this disease. Other risk factors implicated in the differential development of lung cancer in women are genetic predisposition, tumour histology and molecular profile. Proportionally more women than men with lung cancer have a mutation in the
EGFR
gene. This consensus statement reviews the available evidence about the epidemiological, biological, diagnostic, therapeutic, social and psychological aspects of lung cancer in women.
The characteristics of a divided, industrial scale electrochemical reactor with five bipolar electrodes (each having a projected area of 0.72
m
2) were examined in terms of mass transport, pressure ...drop and flow dispersion. Global mass transport data were obtained by monitoring the (first order) concentration decay of dissolved bromine (which was generated
in situ by constant current electrolysis of a 1
mol
dm
−3 NaBr
(aq)). The global mass transport properties have been compared with those reported in the literature for other electrochemical reactors. The pressure drop over the reactor was calculated as a function of the mean electrolyte flow velocity and flow dispersion experiments showed the existence of slow and fast phases, two-phase flow being observed at lower velocities.
In the original publication, the ‘OH’ radical was incorrectly typeset. It should be in superscript throughout the article. The original article has been corrected.
El estudio tuvo como objetivo describir la tenencia de animales de compañía y los conocimientos de zoonosis entre pobladores en el distrito de Bambamarca – Cajamarca, Perú, en 2022. Se realizaron 394 ...encuestas, siendo 30.5% en la zona urbana (Bambamarca ciudad) y 69.5% en la zona rural (Llaucán, San Juan de Lacamaca, Chala y El Tuco). De los encuestados, 54.8% fueron mujeres, 20.8% contaban con secundaria completa y la edad promedio fue de 39.9 años. El 58.4 y 35.5% de entrevistados aseguraron poseer perros y gatos, respectivamente. La relación persona: perro fue 4:1 y persona: gato de 6.7: 1. El 45.2% de poseedores de canes lo criaban como mascota y el 45% de poseedores de gatos los criaban como controladores de plaga de roedores. El 67.9% de los perros fueron machos y 50.5% de los gatos fueron hembras. La tasa de animales esterilizados fue menor al 4% en ambas especies. En caso de los perros, 54.1% paseaban sin restricción y 31.7% de los gatos se clasificaron como “outdoor”. El 50.3% de tenedores de perros y 69.5% de tenedores de gatos mencionaron realizar desparasitaciones internas, y 45 y 61.5%, respectivamente, desparasitaban externamente de manera regular (al menos cada 3 meses). El 58% de perros y el 12.8% de gatos fueron reportados como vacunados contra la rabia el último año. El desconocimiento del significado del término zoonosis alcanzó al 95.4% de los encuestados; sin embargo, el 90.4% afirmó conocer que los animales podrían transmitir enfermedades a las personas, siendo la más reconocida la rabia (69.8%). Se concluye que es necesario desarrollar campañas de educación sanitaria a fin de que los propietarios de animales de compañía desarrollen una tenencia responsable y evitar de esta forma impactos negativos sobre la salud pública y el bienestar animal.
The aim of this study was to describe the ownership of pets and knowledge of zoonoses among residents in the district of Bambamarca – Cajamarca, Peru, in 2022. In total, 394 surveys were carried out, 30.5% in the urban area (Bambamarca city) and 69.5% in the rural area (Llaucán, San Juan de Lacamaca, Chala and El Tuco). Of those surveyed, 54.8% were female, 20.8% had completed secondary school and the average age was 39.9 years. Besides, 58.4 and 35.5% of interviewees claimed to own dogs and cats, respectively. The person: dog ratio was 4:1 and person: cat was 6.7: 1; 45.2% of dog owners raised them as pets and 45% of cat owners raised them as rodent pest controllers; 67.9% of the dogs were males and 50.5% of the cats were females. The rate of sterilized animals was less than 4% in both species. In the case of dogs, 54.1% walked without restriction and 31.7% of cats were classified as “outdoor”; 50.3% of dog owners and 69.5% of cat owners mentioned performing internal deworming, and 45 and 61.5%, respectively, performed external deworming on a regular basis (at least every 3 months). Moreover, 58% of dogs and 12.8% of cats were reported to have been vaccinated against rabies in the last year. Ignorance of the meaning of the term zoonosis reached 95.4% of those surveyed; however, 90.4% said they knew that animals could transmit diseases to people, the most recognized being rabies (69.8%). It is concluded that it is necessary to develop health education campaigns so that pet owners develop responsible ownership and thus avoid negative impacts on public health and animal welfare.
Congenital kidney and urinary tract anomalies are the most common cause of chronic kidney disease in the first three decades of life. Stenosis of the ureteropelvic junction may cause dilation of the ...collecting system in the fetal kidney. This study aimed to determine hydronephrosis due to congenital ureteropelvic stenosis treatment outcome according to the age of the intervention.
We conducted a retrospective descriptive study that included pediatric patients with hydronephrosis secondary to ureteropelvic junction stenosis operated by the Anderson-Hynes open pyeloplasty method from 2010 to 2016. Patients were divided into two groups: group A, children < 1 year of age, and group B, children > 1 year of age. We analyzed ultrasonographic parameters, renal function, and clinical data. Inferential statistics were used with the Mann-Whitney U-test and X
test. Intra-group data were assessed with the Wilcoxon test.
We included 52 patients: group A (n = 16, 30%) and group B (n = 36, 70%). The male sex predominated, and mainly the left renal unit. The most important surgical finding was stenotic segment. The median right glomerular filtration rate was 24.1 mL/min (19.0-34.5) pre-surgical and 38.2 mL/min (35.9-41.09) post-surgical in group A (p = 0.028), and 28.4 mL/min (18.5-35.0) pre-surgical and 37 mL/min (35.7-46.0) post-surgical in group B (p = 0.003). The median left glomerular filtration rate was 30 mL/min (21.4-39.0) pre-surgical and 40.0 mL/min (37.7-44.6) post-surgical in group A (p = 0.005) and 18.4 mL/min (14.2-29.2) pre-surgical and 37 mL/min (33.1-38.5) post-surgical in group B (p < 0.001).
Correction of ureteropelvic stenosis before one year of age results in better renal function than a later correction.
Summary
Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), Kindler syndrome (KS) and Xeroderma pigmentosum C (XPC) are three genetic skin diseases (i.e. genodermatoses) in which patients are at ...increased risk of developing cancer. The events leading to cancer in these diseases, including those taking place at the level of the skin, are still not well understood even though they are under intense investigation. To deepen the knowledge of these rare diseases with the ultimate goal of finding new treatments, the Spanish research group investigated the gene expression profile (signature) of a type of skin cell called dermal fibroblasts from patients with RDEB, KS and XPC. The researchers found that the fibroblasts from three genodermatoses share a large number of genes aberrantly (wrongly) expressed in a similar fashion. That in turn translates into what is defined as an activated phenotype and leads to changes in dermal (a skin layer) stiffness and an imbalance of the redox (a type of chemical reaction) status. This overlapping signature seems not to depend on the primary disease‐causing deficiency defect (i.e. loss of type VII collagen, kindlin‐1 or XPC) but rather the consequence of a common injury‐responsive event not yet fully understood. In conclusion, this study adds to the current knowledge about the role played by dermal fibroblasts in RDEB, XPC and KS and highlights new targets for possible treatments.
Linked Article: Chacón‐Solano et al. Br J Dermatol 2019; 181:512–522
In this work, nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (N-GQDs) were synthesized by pulsed laser ablation in liquid using Nd:YAG laser (532 nm). Graphite target was ablated in dimethylformamide, as ...solvent and nitrogen source, and the microstructure as well as optical properties of N-GQDs were studied. The N-GQDs structure consists of a graphitic core with oxygen and nitrogen functionalities and particle size about 3 nm, as demonstrated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The as-prepared N-GQDs structure was modified by solvothermal treatment at 65, 90 and 120 °C reducing the oxygen functional groups, adding nitrogen and restoring the π-conjugated structure of N-GQD. The N-GQDs exhibit UV–Vis absorption spectrum with the characteristic π-π* and n – π* electronic transitions of the GQDs with a large amount of oxygen and nitrogen functionalities. These N-GQDs exhibited a visible light photoluminescence centered at 486 nm upon an excitation of 410 nm and the photoluminescence intensity enhanced up to 4.05% of quantum yield after solvothermal treatment. The N-GQDs dispersion was used for selective detection of ascorbic acid, through a signal-off and signal-on system. The results show the use of N-GQDs as a competent photoluminescence sensor for metal ions and ascorbic acid.
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•The relevance of cerium in laboratory and industrial electrochemistry is considered.•The history of fundamental electrochemical studies and applications is considered.•The chemistry, ...redox thermodynamics and electrode kinetics of cerium are summarised.•The uses of cerium ions in synthesis, energy storage, analysis and environmental treatment are illustrated.•Research needs and development perspectives are discussed.
Anodic oxidation of cerous ions and cathodic reduction of ceric ions, in aqueous acidic solutions, play an important role in electrochemical processes at laboratory and industrial scale. Ceric ions, which have been used for oxidation of organic wastes and off-gases in environmental treatment, are a well-established oxidant for indirect organic synthesis and specialised cleaning processes, including oxide film removal from tanks and process pipework in nuclear decontamination. They also provide a classical reagent for chemical analysis in the laboratory. The reversible oxidation of cerous ions is an important reaction in the positive compartment of various redox flow batteries during charge and discharge cycling. A knowledge of the thermodynamics and kinetics of the redox reaction is critical to an understanding of the role of cerium redox species in these applications. Suitable choices of electrode material (metal or ceramic; coated or uncoated), geometry/structure (2-or 3-dimensional) and electrolyte flow conditions (hence an acceptable mass transport rate) are critical to achieving effective electrocatalysis, a high performance and a long lifetime. This review considers the electrochemistry of soluble cerium species and their diverse uses in electrochemical technology, especially for redox flow batteries and mediated electrochemical oxidation.
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