Diagnosis and Treatment of Spondylodiscitis: Insights From a Five-Year Single-Center Study.

Introduction: Spondylodiscitis is a rare but increasingly infectious disease affecting the intervertebral discs and vertebrae.

Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed 36 patients admitted with spondylodiscitis over a five-year period, examining demographics, clinical features, risk factors, causative agents, treatment approaches, and outcomes.

Results: The patient cohort had a mean age of 53.

Electrospun Nanofiber Dopped with TiO and Carbon Quantum Dots for the Photocatalytic Degradation of Antibiotics.

Novel photocatalysts were synthesized through the association of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with commercial (P25) titanium dioxide (TiO) by sonication. The resulting TiO/CQDs composite was then incorporated into the polyamide 66 (PA66) biopolymer nanofibers using the electrospinning technique, considering a composite nanoparticles-to-polymer ratio of 1:2 in the electrospinning precursor solution. The produced nanofibers presented suitable morphology and were tested for the photocatalytic degradation under simulated solar radiation of 10 mg L of amoxicillin (AMX) and sulfadiazine (SDZ), in phosphate buffer solution (pH 8.

Synthetic Cathinones' Comprehensive Screening and Classification by Voltammetric and Chemometric Analyses: A Powerful Method for On-Site Forensic Applications.

The use of synthetic cathinones (SCs) has increased in recent years, posing significant public health problems due to their adverse effects and potential for fatal poisonings. The structural diversity and rapid emergence of new SC analogues create challenges for law enforcement and drug screening techniques. This work presents for the first time the electrochemical detection of SCs using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) on a boron-doped diamond electrode (BDDE).

Athlete Health Implications of Match Injuries in Portuguese Rugby Union.

Objective: Our aim was to report time-loss match injuries in Portugal's "Divisão de Honra" (Portuguese first tier) in the 2022/2023 season, focusing on injury incidence, burden, anatomical region, and type, to assess their impact on athletes' health and availability to play.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted monitoring injuries via an online form filled in by each team's medical department, categorizing player position, as well as injury type, location, and severity. Incidence and burden were calculated per 1000 player-match-hours.

A solar flow photo-reactor for antibiotic removal from aquaculture effluents using TiO/carbon quantum dots.

Effluents contaminated with antibiotics must be treated before reuse or even discharge into the aquatic environment, avoiding the increase of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) - a major public health problem of the 21 century. Little is known regarding the natural solar photodegradation of antibiotics in tubular reactors operated under flow mode and even less concerning the application of photocatalysts. The use of photocatalysts is considered a promising strategy for a sustainable solar-driven removal of antibiotics from effluents.

Multivariate optimization of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction using ionic liquid for the analysis of ultraviolet filters in natural waters.

In this work, a vortex-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method, using an ionic liquid as the extracting solvent was developed, for the simultaneous analysis of three UV filters in different water samples. The extracting and dispersive solvents were selected in a univariate way. Then, the parameters such as the volume of the extracting and dispersive solvents, pH and ionic strength were evaluated using a full experimental design 2, followed by Doehlert matrix.

Idiopathic Scoliosis Trends One Year After COVID-19: A Retrospective Study.

Introduction The reorganization of healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with compromised management of conditions not related to the pandemic. Methods A retrospective descriptive case series study was carried out that included patients followed up at the Spine Deformities (SD) consultation at Centro Hospitalar e Universitário Lisboa Central from January 2019 through December 2021 regarding diagnosis, treatment, referral, and the number of consultations performed. Results Referrals significantly dropped in 2020 (p<0.

Neurological Complications Associated With SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Single-Centre Experience.

Background: The clinical presentation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can range from mild or moderate disease (80% of the cases) to severe disease (15%) requiring oxygen support, and critical disease (5%), associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome and admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). In critically ill patients, prone positioning can be used to optimize oxygenation. Although there is a favourable response to this strategy, being a life-saving measure, additional associated complications may appear, including compressive neuropathies.

Photodegradation of oxolinic acid in aquaculture effluents under solar irradiation: is it possible to enhance efficiency by the use of TiO/carbon quantum dots composites?

Antibiotics, such as oxolinic acid (OXA), in aquaculture effluents contribute to the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance, which makes it urgent to develop efficient and sustainable processes for their removal. Aiming a photocatalytic degradation under solar radiation, different carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were produced in this work through a bottom-up hydrothermal methodology and incorporated into TiO by a simple calcination method. A total of thirteen materials were synthesized and tested for OXA photocatalytic removal from synthetic and real matrices.

Composite of methyl polysiloxane and avocado biochar as adsorbent for removal of ciprofloxacin from waters.

Two carbon composite materials were prepared by mixing avocado biochar and methyl polysiloxane (MK). Firstly, MK was dissolved in ethanol, and then the biochar was added at different times. In sample 1 (R1), the time of adding biochar was immediately after dissolving MK in ethanol, and in sample 2 (R), after 48 h of MK dissolved in ethanol.

Sulfadiazine's photodegradation using a novel magnetic and reusable carbon based photocatalyst: Photocatalytic efficiency and toxic impacts to marine bivalves.

In the present study, waste-based biochar functionalized with titanium dioxide (TiO) and afterwards magnetized by an ex-situ approach, defined as synthetic photosensitizer (SPS), was explored for the photocatalytic degradation of sulfadiazine (SDZ), an antibiotic widely used in the aquaculture industry, under solar irradiation. The use of the SPS enhanced the photodegradation efficiency, with a half-life time (t) reduction from 12.2 ± 0.

Application of a multilayer physical model for the critical analysis of the adsorption of nicotinamide and propranolol on magnetic-activated carbon.

The paper describes a theoretical analysis of the adsorption of nicotinamide and propranolol onto a magnetic-activated carbon (MAC). For a better evaluation of the adsorption mechanism, adsorption isotherms expressing the variation of the adsorption capacity as function of adsorbate concentration were determined at different temperatures ranging from 20 to 45 °C. For both the analytes, experimental tests reveal that adsorption capacity increases with temperature.

Photodegradation of Aquaculture Antibiotics Using Carbon Dots-TiO Nanocomposites.

In this work, carbon dots (CD) were synthesized and coupled to titanium dioxide (TiO) to improve the photodegradation of antibiotics in aquaculture effluents under solar irradiation. Oxolinic acid (OXA) and sulfadiazine (SDZ), which are widely used in aquaculture, were used as target antibiotics. To prepare nanocomposites of CD containing TiO, two modes were used: in-situ (CD@TiO) and ex-situ (CD/TiO).

Antibiotics in Aquaculture Wastewater: Is It Feasible to Use a Photodegradation-Based Treatment for Their Removal?

Aquacultures are a sector facing a huge development: farmers usually applying antibiotics to treat and/or prevent diseases. Consequently, effluents from aquaculture represent a source of antibiotics for receiving waters, where they pose a potential threat due to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) induction. This has recently become a major concern and it is expectable that regulations on antibiotics' discharge will be established in the near future.

Biochar-TiO magnetic nanocomposites for photocatalytic solar-driven removal of antibiotics from aquaculture effluents.

Contamination of surrounding waters with antibiotics by aquaculture effluents can be problematic due to the possible increase of bacterial resistance, making it crucial the efficient treatment of those effluents before their release into the environment. In this work, the application of waste-based magnetic biochar/titanium dioxide (BC/TiO) composite materials on the photodegradation of two antibiotics widely used in aquaculture (sulfadiazine (SDZ) and oxolinic acid (OXA)) was assessed. Four materials were synthesized: BCMag (magnetized BC), BCMag_TiO (BCMag functionalized with TiO), BC_TiO_MagIn and BC_TiO_MagEx (BC functionalized with TiO and afterwards magnetized by in-situ and ex-situ approaches, respectively).

Spatial analysis of canine leishmaniasis in an area of transmission of the semi-arid region of the State of Paraíba, Brazil.

Visceral leishmaniasis is a widely distributed zoonosis and canine infection is an important indicator of risk for the occurrence of the disease in humans. The goal of this analysis was to study the spatial clustering of canine leishmaniasis (CL) in the municipality of Santa Luzia, state of Paraíba. For this, 749 samples of canine plasma were tested using three serological tests.

Solidified floating organic drop microextraction (SFODME) for the simultaneous analysis of three non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in aqueous samples by HPLC.

In this work, a liquid-liquid microextraction methodology using solidified floating organic drop (SFODME) was combined with liquid chromatography and UV/Vis detection to determine non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) naproxen (NPX), diclofenac (DCF), and mefenamic acid (MFN) in tap water, surface water, and seawater samples. Parameters that can influence the efficiency of the process were evaluated, such as the type and volume of the extractor and dispersive solvents, effect of pH, agitation type, and ionic strength. The optimized method showed low detection limits (0.

Impact of UASB reactors operation mode on the removal of estrone and 17α-ethinylestradiol from wastewaters.

This work aims to compare the performance of the continuous operation (CO) and intermittent operation (IO) of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors for the removal of estrone (E1) and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) from wastewaters. Results suggest that the IO contribute to the improvement of the overall removal of estrogens (above 95% for E1 and EE2) when compared to CO (49% for E1 and 39% for EE2). For both CO and IO, biodegradation was the main removal mechanism for E1, while for EE2, adsorption to sludge was the major removal pathway.

Oxolinic acid in aquaculture waters: Can natural attenuation through photodegradation decrease its concentration?

Quinolones, such as oxolinic acid (OXA), are antimicrobials commonly used in aquaculture. Thus, its presence in the aquatic environment surrounding aquaculture facilities is quite easy to understand. When present in aquatic environment, pharmaceuticals may be subjected to several attenuation processes that can influence their persistence.

Biochar in soil mitigates dimethoate hazard to soil pore water exposed biota.

Soil contamination is a worldwide problem urging for mitigation. Biochar is a carbonaceous material used as soil amendment that can immobilize chemical compounds, potentially turning them unavailable for soil biota. The aim of our study was to evaluate biochar's capacity to immobilize dimethoate in soil and, therefore, decreasing the toxicity to soil organisms.

ELISA as an effective tool to determine spatial and seasonal occurrence of emerging contaminants in the aquatic environment.

During the last two decades, studies related to the occurrence and fate of emerging contaminants in the aquatic environment have received great attention from the international scientific community. The monitoring of the presence of these compounds is particularly important since they are known to induce adverse effects in aquatic environments, even at extremely low concentrations. This work aimed to apply a simple and effective methodology, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), in the monitoring of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) and 17β-estradiol (E2) (a synthetic and a natural hormone, respectively), carbamazepine (CBZ, an antiepileptic), cetirizine (CET, an antihistamine) and caffeine (CAF, a stimulant) in water matrices with differing salinity and organic matter contents.

Adsorption of amoxicillin onto high surface area-activated carbons based on olive biomass: kinetic and equilibrium studies.

This study presents the extraction of antibiotic amoxicillin (AMX) from aqueous solution employing activated carbons (AC) from olive biomass (OB). Two AC were prepared using ZnCl (activator agent), and a conventional muffle furnace (ACF) or microwave oven (ACMW). The structure, morphology, and textural properties from both AC were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), pH of point-zero-charge (pH), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and N adsorption/desorption isotherms.

Photodegradation of sulfadiazine in different aquatic environments - Evaluation of influencing factors.

The presence of antibiotics, such as sulfadiazine (SDZ), in the aquatic environment contributes to the generation of antimicrobial resistance, which is a matter of great concern. Photolysis is known to be a major degradation pathway for SDZ in surface waters. Therefore, influencing factors affecting SDZ photodegradation in different aquatic environments were here evaluated in order to have a better knowledge about its persistence in the environment.

Single-step pyrolysis for producing magnetic activated carbon from tucumã (Astrocaryum aculeatum) seed and nickel(II) chloride and zinc(II) chloride. Application for removal of nicotinamide and propanolol.

The present research describes the synthesis of new nanomagnetic activated carbon material with high magnetization, and high surface area prepared in a single pyrolysis step that is used for the carbonization, activation, and magnetization of the produced material. The pyrolysis step of tucumã seed was carried out in a conventional tubular oven at 600 °C under N-flow. It was prepared three magnetic carbons MT-1.

Combination of solar photo-Fenton and adsorption process for removal of the anticancer drug Flutamide and its transformation products from hospital wastewater.

The anti-cancer drug Flutamide (FLUT) is widely used and is of great environmental concern. The solar photo-Fenton (SPF) process can be an effective treatment for the removal of this type of micropollutant. The use of a single addition of 5 mg L of Fe and 50 mg L of HO achieved 20% primary degradation and only 3.