Selective COX-2 inhibitors have been shown to produce fewer gastrointestinal adverse reactions than classical NSAIDs. Nevertheless, these new agents may worsen and delay the healing of experimentally ...induced gastric ulcers in animals. In this study, we compared the effects of a selective COX-2 inhibitor (celecoxib), a preferential COX-1 inhibitor (piroxicam), and a nonnarcotic analgesic (metamizol) on normal gastric mucosa of rats and, on the other hand, in a setting of preexisting acute gastric lesions induced by 0.6 N hydrochloric acid. Under normal conditions, only piroxicam produced appreciable gastric lesions. However, after acid challenge the three assayed drugs induced significant macroscopic and microscopic damage. Myeloperoxidase activity as an index of neutrophil infiltration was elevated with celecoxib and piroxicam on normal gastric mucosa. On inflamed mucosa, celecoxib augmented enzymatic activity at the lower dose, which was parallelled by an increase in the interleukin 1beta level. Acid instillaton produced a significant rise in PGE2 content at 7 hr. Drug treatment after acid challenge decreased prostaglandin values in all cases, although to a lesser extent than after single drug dose administration. COX-2 mRNA expression was visible 1 hr after acid application, whereas COX-2 protein could only be detected at 7 hr. Piroxicam increased both expression levels. All NSAIDs enhanced transforming growth factor alpha and epidermal growth factor receptor immunoreactivity around the acid-induced lesions. It is concluded that selective COX-2 inhibitors, like conventional NSAIDs, impair the healing of gastric damage, and therefore special attention should be paid in patients with gastric pathologies.
The Canarias InfraRed Camera Experiment (CIRCE) is a near-infrared (1-2.5 micron) imager, polarimeter and low-resolution spectrograph operating as a visitor instrument for the Gran Telescopio ...Canarias 10.4-meter telescope. It was designed and built largely by graduate students and postdocs, with help from the UF astronomy engineering group, and is funded by the University of Florida and the U.S. National Science Foundation. CIRCE is intended to help fill the gap in near-infrared capabilities prior to the arrival of EMIR to the GTC, and will also provide the following scientific capabilities to compliment EMIR after its arrival: high-resolution imaging, narrowband imaging, high-time-resolution photometry, imaging polarimetry, low resolution spectroscopy. In this paper, we review the design, fabrication, integration, lab testing, and on-sky performance results for CIRCE. These include a novel approach to the opto-mechanical design, fabrication, and alignment.
Information for treatment or hospital derivation of prehospital seizures is limited, impairing patient condition and hindering patients risk assessment by the emergency medical services (EMS). This ...study aimed to determine the associated factors to clinical impairment, and secondarily, to determine risk factors associated to cumulative in-hospital mortality at 2, 7 and 30 days, in patients presenting prehospital seizures.
Prospective, multicentre, EMS-delivery study involving adult subjects with prehospital seizures, including five advanced life support units, 27 basic life support units and four emergency departments in Spain. All bedside variables: including demographic, standard vital signs, prehospital laboratory tests and presence of intoxication or traumatic brain injury (TBI), were analysed to construct a risk model using binary logistic regression and internal validation methods.
A total of 517 patients were considered. Clinical impairment was present in 14.9%, and cumulative in-hospital mortality at 2, 7 and 30-days was 3.4%, 4.6% and 7.7%, respectively. The model for the clinical impairment indicated that respiratory rate, partial pressure of carbon dioxide, blood urea nitrogen, associated TBI or stroke were risk factors; higher Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores mean a lower risk of impairment. Age, potassium, glucose, prehospital use of mechanical ventilation and concomitant stroke were risk factors associated to mortality; and oxygen saturation, a high score in GCS and haemoglobin were protective factors.
Our study shows that prehospital variables could reflect the clinical impairment and mortality of patients suffering from seizures. The incorporation of such variables in the prehospital decision-making process could improve patient outcomes.
The combination of graphitic carbon nitride and the metal-organic framework UiO-66-NH2 has been developed with the aim to enhance the photocatalytic activity of pure semiconductors. Different ...proportions of g-C3N4 and UiO-66-NH2 were combined. Complete characterization analysis of the resulting photocatalytic materials was conducted, including N2 adsorption isotherms, XRD, FTIR, STEM-EDX microscopy, DRS-UV-visible, and photoluminescence. The photocatalytic activity was tested in an aqueous solution for the removal of acetaminophen as the target pollutant. From the obtained results, less than 50% of UiO-66-NH2 incorporated in the g-C3N4 structure enhanced the photocatalytic degradation rate of both bare semiconductors. Concretely, 75% of g-C3N4 in the final g-C3N4/UiO-66-NH2 heterostructure led to the best results, i.e., complete acetaminophen elimination initially at 5 mg·L−1 in 2 h with a pseudo-first order rate constant of ca. 2 h−1. The presence of UiO-66-NH2 in the g-C3N4 enhanced the optoelectronic properties, concretely, the separation of the photo-generated charges was improved according to photoluminescence characterization. The better photo-absorption uptake was also confirmed by the determination of the quantum efficiency values of the heterostructure if compared to either pure g-C3N4 or UiO-66-NH2. This photocatalyst with the best activity was further tested at different pH values, with the best degradation rate at a pH close to the pHpzc ~4.15 of the solid. Sequential recycling tests demonstrated that the heterostructure was stable after five cycles of use, i.e., 15 h. A high contribution of photo-generated holes in the process of the degradation of acetaminophen, followed marginally by superoxide radicals, was suggested by scavenger tests.
Microplastics became an unprecedented challenge and mapping their contamination all over the world is needed in order to establish baseline levels and identify the polymers in order to enhance ...adequate legislation and policy. The main objective of this study is to demonstrate the existence of microplastic pollution on three beaches on the coast of Granada (Spain), namely La Herradura, Motril Beach and La Rábita, characterizing the particles and the relationships in their distribution. This may contribute supporting the studies carried out at a national level in accordance with the Directive on Marine Strategy (2008/56/EC). The results showed a greater median concentration of particles/kg of dry sediment in La Herradura (45.0 ± 24.7) than in Motril (31.5 ± 21.5) and La Rábita (22.0 ± 23.2). These data revealed a higher contamination by microplastics in an enclosed bay-type beach (La Herradura) in comparison with open delta-type beaches. The predominant morphologies were microspheres and fragments, with maximum median concentrations of 38.0 ± 23.7 and 6.0 ± 0.7 particles/kg, respectively. The distribution and size of the particles is affected by the geomorphological and sedimentary characteristics of these beaches, which are different from any other in Spain and in the Mediterranean in general. The beaches of Granada showed more microplastic contamination than Greek or Slovenian beaches, but less than other Spanish beaches. In this area of the Mediterranean, the presence of microplastics can be affected by the wind, sea currents or methodological aspects such as the pore size of the filters used. All of these factors were analysed when comparing the beaches of Granada with other Mediterranean beaches. This study shows that there is contamination by microplastics on the beaches of Granada, which have been little explored until now due to the difficult geological and granulometric characteristics, and gives support to other national studies.
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•The beaches of Granada had been poorly studied because of their complex geology.•The highest contamination by microplastics was found in an enclosed bay-type beach.•The morphology and size more common were microspheres with a size <100 μm.•On the three beaches analysed, the high tide line was the least contaminated.•The beaches of Granada presented lower pollution than other coastal sites in Spain.
In this work, first, the two-phase olive mill solid waste was characterized in terms of its physical–chemical properties, which can be useful for its use in pyrolysis units. Then, its behavior on ...pyrolysis processes was studied by dynamic thermogravimetry and derivate thermogravimetry. For the simulation of pyrolysis processes a kinetic model including three independent parallel reactions was used. The characterization results showed that the solid presents a size distribution with about 66% of particles >1.00mm, while the percentage of fines (<0.250mm) is only of 1.50%. The moisture content is very high (around 70%), being one of the main characteristics of the solid that makes its direct use as a fuel difficult. However, the low sulfur value (<0.1%) is very suitable from the environmental point of view, reducing SO2 emissions. The results of the proximate analysis are within the range of most biomass waste and the gross calorific value obtained was 4897kcal/kg. The thermal decomposition in an inert atmosphere can be modeled by separate decomposition of each of the three fractions which constitute the material. The results of both, physical–chemical characterization and thermogravimetric study show that the two-phase olive mill solid waste could be treated in energy recovery installations.
•The physical-chemical characterization of the solid is required for use as fuel.•The solid has a physic-chemical characteristics suitable for use as fuel.•Pyrolysis can be modeled by separate decomposition of fractions of the material.•Two-phase olive mill solid waste could be treated in energy recovery installations.
Objective
A correct examination is essential during a differential diagnosis of neck pain patients. Therefore, the objective of this study was to provide an update on the properties considered most ...important by physical therapists (PTs) when conducting accessory and physiological movement tests during the cervical spine physical examination.
Methods
A total of 84 private physiotherapy centres participated in this online cross‐sectional survey including 415 active physiotherapists and members of one autonomous Spanish Physiotherapists School. This survey included information about the characteristics of the respondents (eg, weekly patient care, highest qualification and specific training in osteopathy and manual therapy), their opinion about the accuracy and reliability of accessory and physiological movement tests, the frequency and importance of mobility and pain responses, and the most commonly reference used to make a judgement.
Results
Pain responses are most frequently used by physiotherapists at a rate of 79.8% and also rated as important by 42.65% respondents mobility aspects such as quality of end‐feel (17.3%), quantity of translation (16.4%) and quality of resistance (13.3%) during passive accessory intervertebral movement tests. During passive and active physiological movement tests, the most frequent properties assessed were the quality of motion path (80.5% and 84.3%, respectively) and quantity of angle bending (81.7% and 77.6%, respectively). Pain responses are used as reference by 54.7% to make a clinical judgement during passive accessory intervertebral movement tests.
Conclusion
Physical therapists face validity in relation to passive accessory intervertebral movement test for assessing spinal segmental motion aspects has been decreasing with more attention devoted to pain responses. The current scepticism regarding the motion properties assessed with these tests is associated with utility aspects such as validity, sensitivity, accuracy and specificity.
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