Jonas (United States)

Background: CKD is on the rise, and over half of patients die due to cardiac causes, usually HF. They present with HF not only due to volume overload, but also because of reno-cardiac interactions of unclear mechanisms termed type 4 cardiorenal syndrome (CRS4). In order to understand CRS4, we developed a pig model using minimally-invasive techniques. Methods: 4 female Yorkshire pigs had staged embolization of the renal arteries. Clot/contrast mix was injected by catheter until no flow was seen on angiography. Echo, pressure measurements, angiography, and urine and blood collection to monitor CKD and HF progression was done monthly. At 4 months, GFR and PV loop measurements were also taken, and tissues harvested. Results: BUN (11.3 ± 0.3 vs 5.3 ± 0.5 mg/dL, p < 0.01) and SCr (2.1 ± 0.2 vs 1.3 ±0.1 mg/dL, p<0.01) increased at the endpoint compared to controls, and GFR declined (6 ± 4 vs 124 ± 17 mL/min, p < 0.01). Kidneys showed diffuse fibrosis on trichrome staining. LV mass (136 ± 6 vs 106 ± 6 g, p < 0.05), EDP (16 ± 2 vs 9 ± 2 mmHg, p <0.05), aortic (146 ± 9 vs 96 ± 5 mmHg, p < 0.01) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressures (12 ± 1 vs 6 ± 1 mmHg, p < 0.01) and PA (22 ± 1 vs 16 ± 1 mmHg, p < 0.05) were increased. PV loop showed increased EDPVR slope (0.36 ± 0.03 vs 0.17 ± 0.03, p < 0.01) and Tau (48.9 ± 1.9 vs 36.3 ± 1.1 ms, p < 0.01). LV was fibrotic. Conclusions: Repetitive clot injection successfully induced CKD, seen by increased SCr and BUN, reduced GFR, and renal fibrosis. At 4 months, the heart was hypertrophic, fibrotic, and had PV relationships indicating development of HFpEF. Therefore, we have developed a successful minimally-invasive large animal model of CRS4 for future studies.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of women undergo aesthetic or reconstructive breast implant surgery. Clinicians and patients must be aware of the benefits and risks of this surgery. Recently, the FDA suggested a recall of certain textured breast implants because of a link between these implants and a rare form of lymphoma, now referred to as breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). This malignancy has an indolent course and an excellent prognosis when detected and treated early. This article reviews BIA-ALCL, addresses public safety advisories, and emphasizes protocol that all clinicians should follow when encountering a patient with textured breast implants.

In the first part of this study were investigated active materials to electro-oxidize ethanol and acetaldehyde selective for the C 2 route (Carbon 2), besides active to electro-oxidize molecular hydrogen, in order to apply into indirect hydrogen fuel cells. In this type of cell, ethanol can be dehydrogenated in the external fuel processor and the products generated in this reaction, containing H2, acetaldehyde and, possibly, unreacted ethanol are used to feed the fuel cell anode. Therefore, the anode electrocatalyst has to be active to electro-oxidize residual ethanol and acetaldehyde, however, it has to catalyze the reaction via C2 route aiming to avoid the species formation that poison the catalyst surface (CO or CHx), in the other words, the C-C bond should remain intact. The bimetallic electrocatalysts were formed by W, Ru and Sn-modified Pt nanoparticles. The reaction products were followed by on-line differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) experiments. The results showed that Ru/Pt/C and Sn/Pt/C presented higher overall reaction rate when compared to the other studied materials, however, they were non-selective. On the other hand, W/Pt/C with high W content was more selective to the C2 route, evidenced by the absence of the DEMS signals for molecules with one carbon atom such as CH4 and CO2. Additionally, this material was active and stable for H2 electro-oxidation even in the acetaldehyde presence, what turns it into a potential electrocatalyst for application in the anode of indirect hydrogen fuel cells. In the second part of this work, we investigated conditions and electrocatalysts selective to the C1 route. The ethanol electro-oxidation and its reaction products were investigated by on-line DEMS at room and intermediate temperature. At room, and intermediate temperature (245 o C), the electrolytes were aqueous sulfuric acid and solid-state acid (CsH2PO4), respectively. The catalysts investigated were SnOxRuOx-Pt/C and Pt/C. The results of potentiodynamic polarizations at room temperature showed much higher electrocatalytic activity for the SnOxRuOx-Pt/C material, with current efficiency for CO2 formation of 15.6% against 15.2% for Pt/C under stagnant conditions. The reaction residues stripping after the ethanol electro-oxidation, under continuous flow conditions, showed the accumulation of species containing 1 carbon atom (CO and CHx), which are oxidized just at high potentials (ca. 1.0 V) and they cause the obstruction of the active sites. On the other hand, the polarization curves at 245 o C showed higher values of current efficiencies (45% for Pt/C for both potentials 0.5 V and 0.8 V against 36% and 50% to SnOxRuOx-Pt/C at 0.5 V and 0.8V respectively) for the CO2 formation than at ambient condition, however, with similar activities for SnOxRuOx-Pt/C and Pt/C. For both electrocatalysts, in parallel with the electrochemical pathways, heterogeneous chemical catalysis of ethanol decomposition also takes place, producing H2 and CO2, as major products.

Introduction: Fetal brain growth is altered in congenital heart disease (CHD). The role of disturbed placental and fetal blood flow/oxygenation remains poorly understood. We compared the effect of maternal hyperoxia on cerebral and placental oxygenation in CHD vs control fetuses using blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional MRI (fMRI). Methods: We studied 85 pregnant women (51 healthy /34 CHD fetuses) at 22-39 weeks gestational age (GA), using MRI and Doppler. After 2min baseline recording at normoxia (NO), we made BOLD fMRI measurements in 4 phases, (1) early hyperoxia (HO; 100% O2) for 2min (2) late HO (2min), (3) early return NO (1.75min), (4) late return NO (1.75min). We measured % BOLD signal changes in fetal brain and placenta and correlated these with umbilical artery (UA) pulsatility index (PI) obtained at baseline. Results: Mean GA of CHD vs control fetuses was 32 4/7 and 32 2/7 (p=0.77). 41.2% had 1-ventricle (1V; all HLHS) vs 2-ventricle (2V) physiology. In controls, brain BOLD signal increased in phase 1 HO and remained elevated through phase 4. In CHD fetuses, the BOLD signal increased in phase 1 and continued to rise through phase 4. Differences in brain BOLD elevation in CHD vs controls (3.1% vs 0.9%, p=0.04) was significant in phase 4 (Fig. 1). Brain BOLD differed between 1V (3.4%, p=0.04) and 2V (0.9%, p=0.15) in phases 3 & 4. Placental BOLD signal increased during HO in control (4.4%, p<0.001) and CHD fetuses (6.4%, p<0.001). UA PI in CHD fetuses was higher than controls (1.11 vs 1.03, p=0.03). UA PI correlated with placental BOLD during HO in healthy and CHD fetuses (p<0.05). Conclusions: In this first report of placental and fetal brain responses to maternal HO, we show a significantly increased brain BOLD response in CHD fetuses, specifically 1V. These data suggest that maternal HO improves brain oxygenation in CHD fetuses in the short-term. Studies evaluating the prolonged effects of HO are needed to determine the role of HO management in select CHD fetuses.

\n As células eletroquímicas emissoras de luz (PLECs) pertencem a um novo ramo importante na optoeletrônica orgânica devido ao seu grande potencial para ser usado como ponto - pixels para telas coloridas e também para painéis de iluminação. Diferentemente de diodos orgânicos emissores de luz (OLEDs), a tecnologia de OLECs ainda está em estágios iniciais de desenvolvimento, em comparação com a tecnologia de OLED , OLECs tem a vantagem de ser operado em ambas as polaridades de tensão ( para a frente ou de polarização reversa ), e, além disso, o seu desempenho é menos dependente dos materiais do eletrodos e a espessura da camada ativa do dispositivo. A camada ativa de um OLEC compreende uma mistura de um polímero eletroluminescente conjugado e um eletrólito de polímero. Consequentemente, o transporte elétrico durante a operação do dispositivo envolve uma combinação de dinâmica iônica e eletrônica e efeitos intrincados nas interfaces com os eletrodos. A literatura apresenta até agora duas abordagens diferentes para descrever o fenômeno de transporte nas OLECs. O modelo de eletrodinâmica, que combina separação iônica com o processo de difusão limitada eletrônica, e o modelo de dopagem eletroquímico que considera uma dopagem eletroquímica do polímero conjugado, dando a formação de uma junção p-i-n na camada ativa. Usando as medidas de decaimento da corrente sobre uma voltagem aplicada e espectroscopia de impedância /admissão , investigamos o transporte de portadores de carga em um OLEC tendo como camada ativa uma mistura de poli [ ( 9, 9 - dioctyl - 2, 7 - divinileno - fluorenileno ) - alt - co - { 2 - metoxi -5 - ( 2 - etil- hexiloxi ) -1,4 - fenileno } ] ( PFGE ) , com poli ( óxido de etileno ) ( PEO ) complexado com triflato de lítio ( TriLi ) , na proporção 01:01 : X , onde X foi de 0,10 , 0,05 , 0,01 , 0,00. Foram obtidos dados importantes relacionados com efeito iônico e eletrônico durante a operação deste PLEC, sendo que as medidas de transiente e de impedância mostraram que o movimento iônico auxilia o processo de injeção eletrônica. Outro fato relevante é que o desempenho da PLEC é dependente da formação da dupla camada iônica que tem sua espessura abaixo de 10 nm e que o processo de sua formação depende altamente da condução iônica, que por sua vez vai depender da quantidade de íons e de sua mobilidade, sendo influenciando por fatores como concentração de sal e temperatura do dispositivo. As medidas realizadas mostram que as PLECs com 2,5 e 5% de concentração de sal apresentam o melhor desempenho.\n

cromatografia lquida de alta eficincia para a determinao de oito compostos ativos amplamente utilizados em protetores solares: benzofenona-3, octocrileno