In comparison with the well-described ionic eutectic mixtures, hydrophobic eutectic solvents (HESs) composed of two non-ionic compounds represent a relatively new class of eutectics. In this work, a ...number of non-ionic HESs liquid at room temperature were identified from a large initial screening of potential mixtures. Three new HESs based on thymol + TOPO (trioctylphosphine oxide), TOPO + capric acid and hydrocinnamic acid + capric acid were investigated as extracting media for the recovery and separation of platinum group and transition metals in HCl media. Full phase diagrams and physical properties including viscosities, densities, chemical stability and the influence of water were characterised, with these HESs presenting low viscosities and high hydrophobicity suitable for application as solvents for liquid-liquid extraction. By simple variation of the eutectic component the selectivity of the system for a given metal could be tuned, with the TOPO-based system displaying good to excellent selectivity towards Pt
4+
, Pd
2+
and Fe
3+
under a range of conditions. The extraction mechanism was found to vary due to a complex interplay between the HES composition, acid concentration and the predominant metal complex present. The observed extraction behaviour in HESs composed of two metal complexing ligands such as TOPO + capric acid, in which each respective component is responsible for metal extraction under given conditions, opens the possibility to design hydrophobic eutectic mixtures presenting synergistic effects. Finally, the HES phase following palladium extraction was used as the template for the formation of palladium nanoparticles. The results presented highlight the great potential of HESs as environmentally benign and tuneable media for the solvent extraction of metal ions.
The potential of HESs as environmentally benign and tunable media for the solvent extraction of metal ions is presented.
A
bstract
We investigate the effect of quantum decoherence and relaxation in neutrino oscillations using MINOS and T2K data. The formalism of open quantum systems is used to describe the interaction ...of a neutrino system with the environment, where the strength of the interaction is regulated by a decoherence parameter Γ. We assume an energy dependence parameterized by Γ =
γ
0
(
E
/GeV)
n
, with
n
= −2, 0, +2, and consider three different scenarios, allowing the investigation of the effect of relaxation and of constraining the solar and atmospheric sectors to the same decoherence parameter. The MINOS and T2K data present a complementary behavior, with regard to our theoretical model, resulting in a better sensitivity for
n
= +2 and
n
= −2, respectively. We perform a combined analyses of both experimental data, which also include a reactor constraint on sin
2
θ
13
, and observe an independence of the results to the scenarios we investigate. Our analyses obtain limits on
γ
0
based on long-baseline data for scenarios allowing or not relaxation. We improve some previous bounds on
γ
0
and outline which data (solar, reactor, atmospheric, long-baseline) determine the more stringent constraints for different scenarios and energy dependencies.
Background
A number of conditions compromise the passage of food along the digestive tract. Nasogastric tube (NGT) feeding is a classic, time‐proven technique, although its prolonged use can lead to ...complications such as lesions to the nasal wing, chronic sinusitis, gastro‐oesophageal reflux, and aspiration pneumonia. Another method of infusion, percutaneous endoscopy gastrostomy (PEG), is generally used when there is a need for enteral nutrition for a longer time period. There is a high demand for PEG in patients with swallowing disorders, although there is no consistent evidence about its effectiveness and safety as compared to NGT.
Objectives
To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of PEG compared with NGT for adults with swallowing disturbances.
Search methods
We searched The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and LILACS from inception to January 2014, and contacted the main authors in the subject area. There was no language restriction in the search.
Selection criteria
We planned to include randomised controlled trials comparing PEG versus NGT for adults with swallowing disturbances or dysphagia and indications for nutritional support, with any underlying diseases. The primary outcome was intervention failure (e.g. feeding interruption, blocking or leakage of the tube, no adherence to treatment).
Data collection and analysis
We used standard methodological procedures expected by The Cochrane Collaboration. For dichotomous and continuous variables, we used risk ratio (RR) and mean difference (MD), respectively with the random‐effects statistical model and 95% confidence interval (CI). We assumed statistical heterogeneity when I² > 50%.
Main results
We included 11 randomised controlled studies with 735 participants which produced 16 meta‐analyses of outcome data. Meta‐analysis indicated that the primary outcome of intervention failure, occurred in lower proportion of participants with PEG compared to NGT (RR 0.18, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.59, eight studies, 408 participants, low quality evidence) and this difference was statistically significant. For this outcome, we also subgrouped the studies by endoscopic gastrostomy technique into pull, and push and not reported. We observed a significant difference favouring PEG in the pull subgroup (RR 0.07, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.35, three studies, 90 participants). Thepush subgroup contained only one clinical trial and the result favoured PEG (RR 0.05, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.74, one study, 33 participants) techniques. We found no statistically significant difference in cases where the technique was not reported (RR 0.43, 95% CI 0.13 to 1.44, four studies, 285 participants).
There was no statistically significant difference between the groups for meta‐analyses of the secondary outcomes of mortality (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.58 to 1.28, 644 participants, nine studies, very low quality evidence), overall reports of any adverse event at any follow‐up time point (ITT analysis, RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.51 to 1.34), 597 participants, 6 studies, moderate quality evidence), specific adverse events including pneumonia (aspiration) (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.46 to 1.06, 645 participants, seven studies, low quality evidence), or for the meta‐ analyses of the secondary outcome of nutritional status including weight change from baseline, and mid‐arm circumference at endpoint, although there was evidence in favour of PEG for meta‐analyses of mid‐arm circumference change from baseline (MD 1.16, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.31, 115 participants, two studies), and levels of serum albumin were higher in the PEG group (MD 6.03, 95% CI 2.31 to 9.74, 107 participants).
For meta‐analyses of the secondary outcomes of time on enteral nutrition, there was no statistically significant difference (MD 14.48, 95% CI ‐2.74 to 31.71; 119 participants, two studies). For meta‐analyses of quality of life measures (EuroQol) outcomes in two studies with 133 participants, for inconvenience (RR 0.03, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.29), discomfort (RR 0.03, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.29), altered body image (RR 0.01, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.18; P = 0.001) and social activities (RR 0.01, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.18) the intervention favoured PEG, that is, fewer participants found the intervention of PEG to be inconvenient, uncomfortable or interfered with social activities. However, there were no significant differences between the groups for pain, ease of learning to use, or the secondary outcome of length of hospital stay (two studies, 381 participants).
Authors' conclusions
PEG was associated with a lower probability of intervention failure, suggesting the endoscopic procedure may be more effective and safe compared with NGT. There is no significant difference in mortality rates between comparison groups, or in adverse events, including pneumonia related to aspiration. Future studies should include details of participant demographics including underlying disease, age and gender, and the gastrostomy technique.
One of the least understood aspects in atmospheric chemistry is how urban emissions influence the formation of natural organic aerosols, which affect Earth's energy budget. The Amazon rainforest, ...during its wet season, is one of the few remaining places on Earth where atmospheric chemistry transitions between preindustrial and urban-influenced conditions. Here, we integrate insights from several laboratory measurements and simulate the formation of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) in the Amazon using a high-resolution chemical transport model. Simulations show that emissions of nitrogen-oxides from Manaus, a city of ~2 million people, greatly enhance production of biogenic SOA by 60-200% on average with peak enhancements of 400%, through the increased oxidation of gas-phase organic carbon emitted by the forests. Simulated enhancements agree with aircraft measurements, and are much larger than those reported over other locations. The implication is that increasing anthropogenic emissions in the future might substantially enhance biogenic SOA in pristine locations like the Amazon.
Processing of whey proteins yields several bioactive peptides that can trigger physiological effects in the human body: on the nervous system via their opiate and ileum-contracting activities; on the ...cardiovascular system via their antithrombotic and antihypertensive activities; on the immune system via their antimicrobial and antiviral activities; and on the nutrition system via their digestibility and hypocholesterolemic effects. The specific physiological effects, as well the mechanisms by which they are achieved and the stabilities of the peptides obtained from various whey fractions during their gastrointestinal route, are specifically discussed in this review.
Retrograde tracer injections in 29 of the 91 areas of the macaque cerebral cortex revealed 1,615 interareal pathways, a third of which have not previously been reported. A weight index (extrinsic ...fraction of labeled neurons FLNe) was determined for each area-to-area pathway. Newly found projections were weaker on average compared with the known projections; nevertheless, the 2 sets of pathways had extensively overlapping weight distributions. Repeat injections across individuals revealed modest FLNe variability given the range of FLNe values (standard deviation <1 log unit, range 5 log units). The connectivity profile for each area conformed to a lognormal distribution, where a majority of projections are moderate or weak in strength. In the G29 × 29 interareal subgraph, two-thirds of the connections that can exist do exist. Analysis of the smallest set of areas that collects links from all 91 nodes of the G29 × 91 subgraph (dominating set analysis) confirms the dense (66%) structure of the cortical matrix. The G29 × 29 subgraph suggests an unexpectedly high incidence of unidirectional links. The directed and weighted G29 × 91 connectivity matrix for the macaque will be valuable for comparison with connectivity analyses in other species, including humans. It will also inform future modeling studies that explore the regularities of cortical networks.
Porous robust materials are typically the primary selection of several industrial processes. Many of these compounds are, however, not robust enough to be used as multifunctional materials. This is ...typically the case of Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) which rarely combine several different excellent functionalities into the same material. In this report we describe the simple acid–base postsynthetic modification of isotypical porous rare-earth-phosphonate MOFs into a truly multifunctional system, maintaining the original porosity features: Ln(H3pptd)·xSolvent where Ln3+ = Y3+ (1) and (Y0.95Eu0.05)3+ (1_Eu) are converted into K3Ln(pptd)·zSolvent where Ln3+ = Y3+ (1K) and (Y0.95Eu0.05)3+ (1K_Eu) by immersing the powder of 1 and 1_Eu into an ethanolic solution of KOH for 48 h. The K+-exchanged Eu3+-based material exhibits a considerable boost in CO2 adsorption, capable of being reused for several consecutive cycles. It can further separate C2H2 from CO2 from a complex ternary gas mixture composed of CH4, CO2, and C2H2. This high adsorption selectivity is, additionally, observed for other gaseous mixtures, such as C3H6 and C3H8, with all these results being supported by detailed theoretical calculations. The incorporation of K+ ions notably increases the electrical conductivity by 4 orders of magnitude in high relative humidity conditions. The conductivity is assumed to be predominantly protonic in nature, rendering this material as one of the best conducting MOFs reported to date.
This article develops a flexible class of Markov-switching models in which the GDP growth rate is decomposed into a long-run growth trend and evolving regime-dependent means. The models can account ...for multiple regimes, breaks in the long-run trend, stochastic volatility, and time-varying transition probabilities. They can also handle data outliers that may arise from rare events, such as the COVID-19 crisis. We illustrate our methodology by modelling Brazilian GDP growth, which has exhibited complicated dynamics over the past four decades. Our results suggest two regimes, one long-run trend break, significant time variation in volatility, and the presence of outliers. Moreover, the selected model features time-varying transition probabilities driven by domestic variables (fiscal stance, reserves, and the real interest rate). Significantly, our findings indicate a marked decline in Brazil’s long-run growth in recent years.
Introduction
The treatment with long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIAs) is more and more frequent and it shows advantages regarding adherence, effectiveness and tolerance.
Objectives
To ...describe and compare the profile of patients under treatment with LAIAs in a psychiatric hospital in Portugal.
Methods
An observational and retrospective study was carried out with the collection of data referring to patients hospitalized with a first psychotic episode between 01/01/2019 and 30/06/2022 in a psychiatric hospital in Portugal and the respective evaluation of sociodemographic and clinical data through the information recorded in the clinical files.
Results
During the 42 months of the study, we selected 78 patients who presented psychotic symptoms on admission. Patients with a history of previous psychotic episodes and prescription of antipsychotic therapy prior to hospitalization were excluded.
Of 78 patients hospitalized with a first psychotic episode, 34 - which corresponds to approximately 44% - were discharged with LAIAs.
Patients receiving LAIAs had an average age of 39 years. The average number of days of hospitalization was 28 days; 41% were female (n=14) and 59 were male (n=20); 35% (n=12) consumed psychoactive substances previously on admission to hospital; 62% (n=21) were discharged under the compulsive treatment regimen. Regarding the diagnosis at discharge, based on the international classification of disease-11 (ICD-11), the most common were schizophrenia, psychotic disorder induced by psychoactive substances and acute and transient psychotic disorder.
From the statistical analysis carried out, no correlation was observed between the rate of readmissions and the administration of LAIAs, nor was there any correlation between the rate of readmissions and compulsive outpatient treatment.
Conclusions
Despite what is described in the literature, in the sample under study, the LAIAs were not superior in the variables studied, namely in reducing the readmission rate. Possible explanations for the results obtained may be justified by the size of the sample under study and the follow-up time of the cases.
Disclosure of Interest
None Declared
FOXM1 has been implicated in taxane resistance, but the molecular mechanism involved remains elusive. In here, we show that FOXM1 depletion can sensitize breast cancer cells and mouse embryonic ...fibroblasts into entering paclitaxel-induced senescence, with the loss of clonogenic ability, and the induction of senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity and flat cell morphology. We also demonstrate that FOXM1 regulates the expression of the microtubulin-associated kinesin KIF20A at the transcriptional level directly through a Forkhead response element (FHRE) in its promoter. Similar to FOXM1, KIF20A expression is downregulated by paclitaxel in the sensitive MCF-7 breast cancer cells and deregulated in the paclitaxel-resistant MCF-7Tax(R) cells. KIF20A depletion also renders MCF-7 and MCF-7Tax(R) cells more sensitive to paclitaxel-induced cellular senescence. Crucially, resembling paclitaxel treatment, silencing of FOXM1 and KIF20A similarly promotes abnormal mitotic spindle morphology and chromosome alignment, which have been shown to induce mitotic catastrophe-dependent senescence. The physiological relevance of the regulation of KIF20A by FOXM1 is further highlighted by the strong and significant correlations between FOXM1 and KIF20A expression in breast cancer patient samples. Statistical analysis reveals that both FOXM1 and KIF20A protein and mRNA expression significantly associates with poor survival, consistent with a role of FOXM1 and KIF20A in paclitaxel action and resistance. Collectively, our findings suggest that paclitaxel targets the FOXM1-KIF20A axis to drive abnormal mitotic spindle formation and mitotic catastrophe and that deregulated FOXM1 and KIF20A expression may confer paclitaxel resistance. These findings provide insights into the underlying mechanisms of paclitaxel resistance and have implications for the development of predictive biomarkers and novel chemotherapeutic strategies for paclitaxel resistance.
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