Ball milling (BM) is a well-established technique for producing different materials in powder shape. Dynamical analysis of BM helps to optimize the process through simple but general relations (e.g., ...definition of an equivalent milling time). Concerning the field of study of magnetocaloric effect (MCE), BM is used in different ways: as a single step process (mechanical alloying), as an initial step to enhance mixing of the elements (e.g., to speed up the formation of the desired intermetallic phase) or as a final step (e.g., hydriding of La–Fe–Si). In this contribution, besides a simple description of the effects of some geometrical parameters on the power released during BM and a short review of the BM contribution to the research field of MCE, we will discuss the effect of the microstructure of the starting material and the granular shape inherent to BM on magnetic materials exhibiting MCE.
COVID-19: from epidemiology to treatment Pericàs, J M; Hernandez-Meneses, M; Sheahan, T P ...
European heart journal,
06/2020, Letnik:
41, Številka:
22
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the daily clinical practice of cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons. Preparedness of health workers and health services is crucial to tackle ...the enormous challenge posed by SARS-CoV-2 in wards, operating theatres, intensive care units, and interventionist laboratories. This Clinical Review provides an overview of COVID-19 and focuses on relevant aspects on prevention and management for specialists within the cardiovascular field.
Lupeol exhibits anti-inflammatory effects; unfortunately it shows low water solubility. An alternative to overcome this is the development of nanomaterials. Several methods for nanomaterial ...production are available. One of them is emulsification/solvent-evaporation. The objective of the present work was to evaluate physical properties, transport and in vitro modulator effects on NF-κB of poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles loaded with lupeol. Nanonutraceuticals were prepared with 16% (w/v) of lupeol. Size distribution and morphology were measured by particle size analyzer and TEM. In vitro release of lupeol was studied by three different models: Higuchi, Siepmann & Peppas, and Power law. Transport of nanonutraceutical was studied in a Caco-2 cell model and by GC–MS. Modulator effect on NK-κB was studied by western blot analysis. Nanonutraceuticals were 10% larger than the nanoparticles without lupeol (372 vs 337 nm) and presented a broader size distribution (0.28 vs 0.22). TEM results displayed spherical structures with a broader size distribution. Entrapment efficiency of lupeol was 64.54% and it in vitro release data fitted well to the Power law and Higuchi equation (R > 0.84–0.84). Strong regulation of NF-κB of nanonutraceutical was observed. It was not observed any transport across the Caco-2 cell model at the different experimental conditions.
•In vitro release of lupeol adjust to Power law and Higuchi equation.•Strong regulation of NF-κB of nanonutraceutical was observed.•It was not observed any transport of lupeol across the Caco-2 cell model.
Expanded graphite (EG) electrodes gather several advantages for their utilization in microbial electrochemical technologies (MET). Unfortunately, the low microbial electroactivity makes them ...non‐practical for implementing them as electrodes. The objective of this work is to explore the enhancement of microbial electroactivity of expanded graphite (commercial PV15) through the generation of nanopores by CO2 treatment. The changes in properties were thoroughly analysed by TG, XRD, Raman, XPS, gas adsorption, SEM and AFM, as well as microbial electroactivity in the presence of Geobacter sulfurreducens. Nanopores remarkably enhance the microbially derived electrical current (60‐fold increase). Given the inaccessibility of micron‐sized bacteria to these nanopores, it is suggested that the electric charge exchanged by electroactive microorganisms might be greatly affected by the capability of the electrode to compensate these charges through ion adsorption. The increased microbial current density produced on activated PV15 opens the possibility of using such materials as promising electrodes in MET.
Electric current density generated by Geobacter sulfurreducens and proposed effect of nano‐scale porosity in the microbial extracellular electron transfer.
Background
The relationship between anticardiolipin (aCL) antibodies and cardiovascular events is uncertain and may vary according to arterial location.
Materials and methods
FRENA is an ongoing ...registry of stable outpatients with symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD), cerebrovascular disease (CVD) or peripheral artery disease (PAD). The rate of subsequent ischaemic events was cross‐referenced with the presence of aCL antibodies (any isotype, IgG or IgM).
Results
As of June 2017, 1387 stable outpatients were recruited. Of these, 120 (8.7%) showed positive levels of aCL antibodies. Over an average follow‐up of 18 months, 250 patients developed subsequent events: 101 myocardial infarction, 57 ischaemic stroke and 92 critical leg events. Patients with positive aCL antibodies had a higher risk of distal artery events (a composite of ischaemic stroke or critical leg events) than patients with undetectable or low levels (rate ratio: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.07‐2.60). However, an association with central coronary events was not found. The multivariate Cox analysis after adjustment for relevant clinical covariates showed that positivity of aCL antibodies is an independent risk factor for distal events (hazard ratio: 1.60; 95% CI: 1.01‐2.55; P < .05).
Conclusions
Positivity of aCL antibodies is associated with an increased risk of subsequent distal artery ischaemic events (cerebral or leg arteries) but not coronary artery events. Anticardiolipin antibodies appear to have a different relationship on the localisation of ischaemic events in patients with symptomatic artery disease.
The urgent need of effective therapies for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infective endocarditis (IE) is a cause of concern. We aimed to ascertain the in vitro and in vivo ...activity of the older antibiotic fosfomycin combined with different beta-lactams against MRSA and glycopeptide-intermediate-resistant S. aureus (GISA) strains. Time-kill tests with 10 isolates showed that fosfomycin plus imipenem (FOF+IPM) was the most active evaluated combination. In an aortic valve IE model with two strains (MRSA-277H and GISA-ATCC 700788), the following intravenous regimens were compared: fosfomycin (2 g every 8 h q8h) plus imipenem (1 g q6h) or ceftriaxone (2 g q12h) (FOF+CRO) and vancomycin at a standard dose (VAN-SD) (1 g q12h) and a high dose (VAN-HD) (1 g q6h). Whereas a significant reduction of MRSA-227H load in the vegetations (veg) was observed with FOF+IPM compared with VAN-SD (0 interquartile range IQR, 0 to 1 versus 2 IQR, 0 to 5.1 log CFU/g veg; P = 0.01), no statistical differences were found with VAN-HD. In addition, FOF+IPM sterilized more vegetations than VAN-SD (11/15 73% versus 5/16 31%; P = 0.02). The GISA-ATCC 700788 load in the vegetations was significantly lower after FOF+IPM or FOF+CRO treatment than with VAN-SD (2 IQR, 0 to 2 and 0 IQR, 0 to 2 versus 6.5 IQR, 2 to 6.9 log CFU/g veg; P < 0.01). The number of sterilized vegetations after treatment with FOF+CRO was higher than after treatment with VAN-SD or VAN-HD (8/15 53% versus 4/20 20% or 4/20 20%; P = 0.03). To assess the effect of FOF+IPM on penicillin binding protein (PBP) synthesis, molecular studies were performed, with results showing that FOF+IPM treatment significantly decreased PBP1, PBP2 (but not PBP2a), and PBP3 synthesis. These results allow clinicians to consider the use of FOF+IPM or FOF+CRO to treat MRSA or GISA IE.
The levels of several glial and neuronal plasma biomarkers have been found to increase during the acute phase in COVID-19 patients with neurological symptoms. However, replications in patients with ...minor or non-neurological symptoms are needed to understand their potential as indicators of CNS injury or vulnerability. Plasma levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neurofilament light chain protein (NfL), and total Tau (T-tau) were determined by Single molecule array (Simoa) immunoassays in 45 samples from COVID-19 patients in the acute phase of infection moderate (n = 35), or severe (n = 10) with minor or non-neurological symptoms; in 26 samples from fully recovered patients after ~2 months of clinical follow-up moderate (n = 23), or severe (n = 3); and in 14 non-infected controls. Plasma levels of the SARS-CoV-2 receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), were also determined by Western blot. Patients with COVID-19 without substantial neurological symptoms had significantly higher plasma concentrations of GFAP, a marker of astrocytic activation/injury, and of NfL and T-tau, markers of axonal damage and neuronal degeneration, compared with controls. All these biomarkers were correlated in COVID-19 patients at the acute phase. Plasma GFAP, NfL and T-tau levels were all normalized after recovery. Recovery was also observed in the return to normal values of the quotient between the ACE2 fragment and circulating full-length species, following the change noticed in the acute phase of infection. None of these biomarkers displayed differences in plasma samples at the acute phase or recovery when the COVID-19 subjects were sub-grouped according to occurrence of minor symptoms at re-evaluation 3 months after the acute episode (so called post-COVID or "long COVID"), such as asthenia, myalgia/arthralgia, anosmia/ageusia, vision impairment, headache or memory loss. Our study demonstrated altered plasma GFAP, NfL and T-tau levels in COVID-19 patients without substantial neurological manifestation at the acute phase of the disease, providing a suitable indication of CNS vulnerability; but these biomarkers fail to predict the occurrence of delayed minor neurological symptoms.
Objective
This study seeks to contribute to the current understanding of dietary variation in the late Prehistory of the northeastern Iberian Peninsula by examining buccal dental microwear patterns ...alongside archeological data from the same populations.
Materials and Methods
Teeth from 84 adult individuals from eight distinct samples spanning the Middle‐Late Neolithic to the Middle Bronze Age (Cova de l'Avi, Cova de Can Sadurní, Cova de la Guineu, Cova Foradada, Cova del Trader, Roc de les Orenetes, Cova del Gegant, Cova dels Galls Carboners) were analyzed using optical microscopy to examine buccal dental microwear patterns.
Results
The analysis did not reveal clear chronological contrasts in the dietary habits of these samples. Nevertheless, significant differences emerged among the samples, leading to their classification into two distinct sets based on the abrasiveness of the diet informed by the microwear patterns. These findings offer similarities and differences among samples in the Iberian Peninsula, shedding light on the diverse lifestyles of these individuals.
Discussion
Integrating our new results with other available proxies points to a multifaceted specialization in dietary patterns among these samples, influenced by factors such as habitat, resource selection, and available technology. By contextualizing the results within the broader context of the Iberian Peninsula, this research discerns shared characteristics and distinctive adaptations in the dietary practices and subsistence strategies of these groups. Ultimately, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the intricate interplay between culture and environment in shaping human diets throughout late Prehistory.
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A series of γ-LiAlO2-Ag cermets was studied to be integrated into a packed-bed membrane reactor with potential application in the selective separation of CO2 and O2; and simultaneous syngas ...production through the coupling of the oxidative CO2 reforming of methane process.
The γ-LiAlO2 was chemically synthesized and incorporated into an Ag matrix, in different amounts, by powder metallurgy using ball milling and uniaxial pressing techniques. The obtained cermets exhibit excellent wettability properties against molten carbonates, facilitating their infiltration and forming dense dual-phase membranes with the molten salts. Moreover, the cermet supports show corrosion resistance against the alkaline molten carbonates and superior thermal stability due to the γ-LiAlO2 suppresses the sintering of the metallic phase.
The membrane's performance was evaluated in the selective gas separation at high temperatures. The membranes exhibit simultaneous CO2 and O2 permeation with a flux of 0.78 and 0.43 ml·min-1·cm-2, at 850 °C, respectively. Besides, during the oxidative reforming process, the membrane reactor shows conversion of about 100 % of CO2 under the studied separation and reaction conditions. The syngas (H2+CO) production reaches values of 4.94 ml·min-1·cm-2 at 825 °C using a 10 % Ni/CeO2 catalyst.
A long-term permeation test was conducted for 225 h, during which the membrane exhibits excellent thermal and chemical stability properties under continuous reaction conditions of syngas production. This fact is attributed to its outstanding chemical inertness against carbonates as well as the observed sinterability properties of the used cermet support.
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•LiAlO2–Ag cermets exhibits remarkable wettability against molten carbonates.•The cermet phase shows chemical resistance to degradation induced by molten carbonates.•Concurrent and stable CO2 and O2 separation are achieved for the long-term test.•Stable behavior of the membrane reactor for the oxidative reforming of methane.
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