Boosting the accuracy of existing models by updating and extending: using a multicenter COVID-19 ICU cohort as a proxy.

Most published prediction models for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) were poorly reported, at high risk of bias, and heterogeneous in model performance. To tackle methodological challenges faced in previous prediction studies, we investigated whether model updating and extending improves mortality prediction, using the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) as a proxy. All COVID-19 patients admitted to seven ICUs in the Euregio-Meuse Rhine during the first pandemic wave were included.

The impact of high versus standard enteral protein provision on functional recovery following intensive care admission (PRECISE trial): study protocol for a randomized controlled, quadruple blinded, multicenter, parallel group trial in mechanically ventilated patients.

Background: Critically ill patients are subject to severe skeletal muscle wasting during intensive care unit (ICU) stay, resulting in impaired short- and long-term functional outcomes and health-related quality of life. Increased protein provision may improve functional outcomes in ICU patients by attenuating skeletal muscle breakdown. Supporting evidence is limited however and results in great variety in recommended protein targets.

Predicting COVID-19 prognosis in the ICU remained challenging: external validation in a multinational regional cohort.

Objectives: Many prediction models for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been developed. External validation is mandatory before implementation in the intensive care unit (ICU). We selected and validated prognostic models in the Euregio Intensive Care COVID (EICC) cohort.

Ionic liquid/TiO nanoparticles doped with non-expensive metals: new active catalyst for phenol photodegradation.

TiO nanoparticles were synthesized using 1--butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMI·BF) ionic liquid and doped with non-expensive metals Cu and Fe by the sol-gel method. The new generated photocatalysts had their morphological, textural and structural characteristics analysed by scanning electron microscopy and dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis (BET), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The results showed two phases by XRD analysis, anatase (majority) and rutile (minority).

Better COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit survival in females, independent of age, disease severity, comorbidities, and treatment.

Although male Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) patients have higher Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission rates and a worse disease course, a comprehensive analysis of female and male ICU survival and underlying factors such as comorbidities, risk factors, and/or anti-infection/inflammatory therapy administration is currently lacking. Therefore, we investigated the association between sex and ICU survival, adjusting for these and other variables. In this multicenter observational cohort study, all patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia admitted to seven ICUs in one region across Belgium, The Netherlands, and Germany, and requiring vital organ support during the first pandemic wave were included.

Differences and Similarities Among COVID-19 Patients Treated in Seven ICUs in Three Countries Within One Region: An Observational Cohort Study.

Objectives: To investigate healthcare system-driven variation in general characteristics, interventions, and outcomes in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients admitted to the ICU within one Western European region across three countries.

Design: Multicenter observational cohort study.

Setting: Seven ICUs in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine, one region across Belgium, The Netherlands, and Germany.

The "sex gap" in COVID-19 trials: a scoping review.

Background: Many studies investigate the role of pharmacological treatments on disease course in Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Sex disparities in genetics, immunological responses, and hormonal mechanisms may underlie the substantially higher fatality rates reported in male COVID-19 patients. To optimise care for COVID-19 patients, prophylactic and therapeutic studies should include sex-specific design and analyses.

Chitosan Microspheres from Shrimp Waste Supporting Pd Nanoparticles in Ionic Liquids: An Efficient and Eco-Friendly Catalyst for Hydrogenation Reactions.

Palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) (ca. 4.8 nm) were synthesized from Palladium acetylacetonate [Pd(acac)₂] using ionic liquids 1--butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [BMI.

The Essential Oil of Hyptis mutabilis in Ichthyophthirius multifiliis Infection and its Effect on Hematological, Biochemical, and Immunological Parameters in Silver Catfish, Rhamdia quelen.

This study evaluated the activity of leaf essential oil (EO) from Hyptis mutabilis as well as its major constituent, (-)-globulol, in infections by the parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (ich). Effects on hematological, biochemical, and immunological parameters of silver catfish, Rhamdia quelen, exposed to the same samples also were evaluated. In the first experiment, naturally infected fish were treated with EO (0, 10, and 20 mg · L) and ethanol, using several methods of exposure.

Comparative evaluation of ventilatory function through pre and postoperative peak expiratory flow in patients submitted to elective upper abdominal surgery.

Objective: to evaluate the ventilatory function by Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) in the immediate pre and postoperative periods of patients undergoing elective surgical procedures in the upper abdomen.

Methods: we conducted a prospective cohort study including 47 patients admitted to the Hospital Regional de Mato Grosso do Sul from July to December 2014, who underwent elective surgeries of the upper abdomen, and submiited to spirometric evaluation and measurement of PEF immediately before and after surgery.

Results: of the 47 patients, 22 (46.

In situ product recovery of single-chain antibodies in a membrane bioreactor.

The demand for biopharmaceuticals, such as monoclonal antibodies, has risen significantly over the last years. To be competitive, continuous production processes that yield consistent product quality and an economic advantage are desirable. In this study, an in situ product recovery process is described, involving use of submerged membranes to recover single-chain antibodies from a continuous fermentation of Hansenula polymorpha yeast cells.

Endometriosis of the groin: the additional value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

We report a rare case of endometriosis of the groin in a young woman. This case shows how difficult the diagnosis of unusual manifestations of endometriosis can be. The diagnosis was suspected by a careful history and physical examination.

Halloysite clay nanotubes and platinum nanoparticles dispersed in ionic liquid applied in the development of a catecholamine biosensor.

Halloysite clay nanotubes were used as a support for the immobilization of the enzyme peroxidase from clover sprouts (Trifolium), and employed together with platinum nanoparticles in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ionic liquid (Pt-BMI·PF(6)) in the development of a new biosensor for the determination of catecholamines by square-wave voltammetry. Under optimized conditions, the analytical curves showed detection limits of 0.05, 0.

Antimicrobial membrane cellulose acetate containing ionic liquid and metal nanoparticles.

Stable metallic Au(0), Ag(0) and Pt(0) nanoparticle-containing membrane films (20 microm thickness) were obtained by combining irregularly shaped nanoparticles of monomodal size distributions (11 +/- 1.5 nm Au(0), 8.9 +/- 2.

Gold nanoparticles in an ionic liquid phase supported in a biopolymeric matrix applied in the development of a rosmarinic acid biosensor.

Gold nanoparticles dispersed in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ionic liquid (Au-BMI·PF(6)) were supported in chitin (CTN) chemically crosslinked with glyoxal and epichlorohydrin to obtain a new supported ionic liquid phase (SILP) catalyst with high catalytic activity, and providing an excellent environment for enzyme immobilization. This modified biopolymer matrix (Au-BMI·PF(6)-CTN) was used as a support for the immobilization of the enzyme peroxidase (PER) from pea (Pisum sativum), and employed to develop a new biosensor for rosmarinic acid (RA) determination in pharmaceutical samples by square-wave voltammetry. In the presence of hydrogen peroxide, the PER catalyzes the oxidation of RA to the corresponding o-quinone, which is electrochemically reduced at a potential of +0.

A novel support for laccase immobilization: cellulose acetate modified with ionic liquid and application in biosensor for methyldopa detection.

A material based on cellulose acetate (CA) and the room temperature ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (BMI·N(Tf)(2)) was developed and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, electron dispersive spectroscopy and infrared analysis. Laccase (Lac) from Aspergillus oryzae was immobilized in this material to investigate the behavior of methyldopa by square-wave voltammetry. Under optimized conditions, the Lac biosensor based on CA/BMI·N(Tf)(2) exhibited an excellent electrocatalytic performance: the analytical curve showed good linear range for methyldopa concentrations from 34.

Sensor for fisetin based on gold nanoparticles in ionic liquid and binuclear nickel complex immobilized in silica.

Gold nanoparticles dispersed in an ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (Au-BMI.PF(6)) and a binuclear nickel(II) complex ([Ni(2)(HBPPAMFF)mu-(OAc)(2)(H(2)O)]BPh(4)) immobilized on functionalized silica were successfully applied in the construction of a novel sensor for the determination of fisetin by square-wave voltammetry. Under optimized conditions, the analytical curve showed two linear ranges for fisetin concentrations from 0.

Biosensor for luteolin based on silver or gold nanoparticles in ionic liquid and laccase immobilized in chitosan modified with cyanuric chloride.

Novel and effective biosensors based on Ag or Au nanoparticles dispersed in ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMI.PF(6)) and laccase (Lac) from Aspergillus oryzae immobilized in chitosan (Chi) chemically cross-linked with cyanuric chloride (CC) were constructed. This enzyme catalyzes the oxidation of luteolin to the corresponding o-quinone, which is electrochemically reduced back to luteolin at 0.

The stereospecific ligand exchange at a pseudo-benzylic T-4 iridium centre in planar-chiral cycloiridium (eta(6)-arene)tricarbonylchromium complexes.

The stereospecificity of ligand exchange at the Ir(III) centre of a cycloiridium arenetricarbonylchromium complex has been established experimentally by various analytical methods as well as by X-ray diffraction structural analysis and computational investigations. Two new cases of phenyl and methyl iridium(III) complexes have been prepared by reaction of (S(P)*,R(Ir)*-chlorido{2-[(tricarbonyl)(eta(6)-phenylene-kappaC(1'))chromium(0)]pyridine-kappaN}(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)iridium(III) with PhMgBr and MeMgBr. The determining influence of electrostatic repulsion has been established by means of density functional theory at the Becke-Perdew/TZP(ZORA) level by using, among other means, energy partitioning analysis.

Biosensor for chlorogenic acid based on an ionic liquid containing iridium nanoparticles and polyphenol oxidase.

A biosensor based on the ionic liquid, 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate containing dispersed iridium nanoparticles (Ir-BMI.PF(6)) and polyphenol oxidase was constructed. This enzyme was obtained from the sugar apple (Annona squamosa), immobilized in chitosan ionically crosslinked with oxalate.

Metal nanoparticle/ionic liquid/cellulose: new catalytically active membrane materials for hydrogenation reactions.

Transition metal-containing membrane films of 10, 20, and 40 μm thickness were obtained by the combination of irregularly shaped nanoparticles with monomodal size distributions of 4.8 ± 1.1 nm (Rh(0)) and 3.

Synthesis and characterization of Pt0 nanoparticles in imidazolium ionic liquids.

The controlled decomposition of Pt2(dba)3 (dba = dibenzylideneacetone) dispersed in 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMI.BF4) and hexafluorophosphate (BMI.PF6) ionic liquids in the presence of cyclohexene by molecular hydrogen produces Pt0 nanoparticles.

Comparison of advanced processes on the oxidation of acid orange 7 dye.

The degradation of acid orange 7 dye (AO7) was studied using a 1 L semi-batch tank stirred glass reactor for performing three different photochemical processes (photoperoxidation, Fenton, photo-Fenton). A commercial low pressure lamp was used for irradiation of samples. The advancement of degradation was monitored by measurement of color reduction, UV-spectra, HPLC-UV and COD.