Sonochemical Synthesis of Magnetite/Poly(lactic acid) Nanocomposites.

Nanocomposites based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and magnetite nanoparticles (MNP-FeO) show promise for applications in biomedical treatments. One key challenge is to improve the stabilization and dispersion of MNP-FeO. To address this, we synthesized MNP-FeO/PLA nanocomposites using ultrasound mediation and a single iron(II) precursor, eliminating the need for surfactants or organic solvents, and conducted the process under ambient conditions.

Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma of the thigh: A case report.

Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma is a rare, locally aggressive or borderline vascular tumor that typically affects infants. It presents as a purpuric cutaneous lesion and may be associated with life-threatening coagulation disorders, such as the Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon. The differential diagnosis can be challenging based on clinical presentation alone.

Liver Abscess Complicated with an Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors have a wide spectrum of biological behaviour and are composed of inflammatory cells and myofibroblastic spindle cells. Tumors may infrequently involve the liver. Imaging findings are non-specific.

A Random Forest-based Classifier for MYCN Status Prediction in Neuroblastoma using CT Images.

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial solid tumor in childhood. Genomic amplification of MYCN is associated with poor outcomes and is detected in 16% of all NB cases. CT scans and MRI are the imaging techniques recommended for diagnosis and disease staging.

Polymers Based on PLA from Synthesis Using D,L-Lactic Acid (or Racemic Lactide) and Some Biomedical Applications: A Short Review.

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is an important polymer that is based on renewable biomass resources. Because of environmental issues, more renewable sources for polymers synthesis have been sought for industrial purposes. In this sense, cheaper monomers should be used to facilitate better utilization of less valuable chemicals and therefore granting more sustainable processes.

Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndrome: A case report in a young woman, with literature review.

Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndrome is a rare complex congenital disorder, with combined Müllerian and mesonephric duct anomalies, presenting with uterus didelphys, unilateral blind hemivagina and ipsilateral renal agenesis. Hemivaginal obstruction usually leads to impairment of normal menstrual flow, resulting in symptoms after menarche, namely dysmenorrhea, pelvic pain or infertility. Age of presentation depends on the anatomical features of this anomaly.

Cerium-zirconium mixed oxide nanostructures for diesel soot oxidation: synthesis and effect of structure.

Nanostructured materials have been used in several branches of science and technology. Particulate matter is one of the major air pollution concerns. In this work, nanorods and nanoparticles of CeZrO (CZ) mixed oxides were prepared by different routes, and the use of an organic template was evaluated in diesel soot oxidation.

Niobium on BEA Dealuminated Zeolite for High Selectivity Dehydration Reactions of Ethanol and Xylose into Diethyl Ether and Furfural.

In this work, we investigated the role of solid-state dealumination by (NH)SiF (25% Al removal and 13% Si insertion), the impregnation of niobium (10, 18, and 25 wt. %) on dealuminated *BEA (DB) zeolite and their catalytic properties in ethanol and xylose transformations. Among all the studied catalysts, 18%Nb-DB showed increased mesoporosity and external areas.

Tuning the Biginelli reaction mechanism by the ionic liquid effect: the combined role of supported heteropolyacid derivatives and acidic strength.

Herein, a combination of heteropolyacids and ionic liquids as a catalytic system was studied for the Biginelli multicomponent reaction; the positive ionic liquid effect associated with the acidic strength of zeolite-supported heteropolyacids made this combination an efficient catalytic system for the multicomponent synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1)-one/thione derivatives. The acidic strength effect was evaluated, and a range was determined in which the reaction provided better results. The mechanism of the reaction was also investigated in the presence and absence of ionic liquids, and two features of paramount importance were revealed: the mechanism could be tuned to proceed through only one reaction path among three possibilities and the kinetics of the reaction was significantly faster in the presence of an ionic liquid.

Corrigendum to "Preparation of PLA blends by polycondensation of D,L-lactic acid using supported 12-tungstophosphoric acid as a heterogeneous catalyst" [Heliyon 5 (5) (May 2019) e01810].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.

Hookworm infection aggravates metabolic disorder in obesity.

Obesity and ancylostomiasis are considered public health problems. Recent studies have shown that infection by intestinal helminths in obese individuals can ameliorate metabolic disorder and improve glucose tolerance by decreasing both insulin resistance and low-intensity inflammation. However, few helminth species have been studied in this context, and some modulation mechanisms still require deeper investigation.

Preparation of PLA blends by polycondensation of D,L-lactic acid using supported 12-tungstophosphoric acid as a heterogeneous catalyst.

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a significant polymer that is based on renewable biomass resources. The production of PLA by polycondensation using heterogeneous catalysis is a focus for sustainable and economical processes. A series of samples comprising 12-tungstophosphoric acid (HPW) supported on activated carbon, silica, and alumina induced the catalytic polymerization of D,L-lactic acid to form blends of PLA.

Solitary pancreatic renal cell carcinoma metastasis.

Pancreatic metastases are rare; they account for only 2% of all pancreatic malignancies and usually occur when associated with a disseminated metastatic disease. Solitary pancreatic metastases are even less frequent, and there are few reports regarding surgical resection. We report the case of a 77-year-old female patient diagnosed with a single cephalo-pancreatic metastasis of renal cell carcinoma, 16 years after a total nephrectomy.

Obesity induction in hamster that mimics the human clinical condition.

Although obesity is well established in hamsters, studies using diets with high levels of simple carbohydrate associated with lipids are necessary to assess the impact of this type of food in the body. In this study a high sugar and butter diet (HSB) and high temperature were employed towards this end. Obesity was successfully induced at a temperature of 30.

The crowding effect in Ancylostoma ceylanicum: density-dependent effects on an experimental model of infection.

This study compared the course of Ancylostoma ceylanicum infection in hamsters infected with different inocula and the consequences for the host and helminth populations. The average of adult worms recovered, according to the number of third stage larva used, were 28.0, 24.

Evaluation of biochemical, hematological and parasitological parameters of protein-deficient hamsters infected with Ancylostoma ceylanicum.

Background: Hookworms infect millions of people worldwide and can cause severe clinical symptoms in their hosts. Prospective cohort studies in Brazil show high rates of hookworm reinfection in malnourished children compared to well-nourished children, despite previous treatment. Additionally, soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections can worsen the nutritional status of affected populations.

Evaluation of the Schistosoma mansoni Y-box-binding protein (SMYB1) potential as a vaccine candidate against schistosomiasis.

Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease, and after malaria, is the second most important tropical disease in public health. A vaccine that reduces parasitemia is desirable to achieve mass treatment with a low cost. Although potential antigens have been identified and tested in clinical trials, no effective vaccine against schistosomiasis is available.

Evaluation of parasitological and immunological aspects of acute infection by Ancylostoma caninum and Ancylostoma braziliense in mixed-breed dogs.

This study compared the course of infection by Ancylostoma caninum and Ancylostoma braziliense in mixed-breed dogs infected with L3 larvae. Dogs infected with A. caninum eliminated more eggs than did those infected with A.

Prednisolone and cyclosporine A: effects on an experimental model of ancylostomiasis.

Corticosteroids and cyclosporine A (CsA) are important clinical immunosuppressive drugs used in the maintenance of organ transplants and in suppressing undesired autoimmune or allergic immune responses. To study the effect of CsA and prednisolone on the course of an Ancylostoma ceylanicum infection, hamsters were treated with commercially available prednisolone or CsA. For both drugs, half the recommended dose was sufficient to inhibit the proliferation of more than 70% of hamster lymph node cells.

Isotropic 3-D T2-weighted spin-echo for abdominal and pelvic MRI in children.

MRI has a fundamental role in paediatric imaging. The T2-weighted fast/turbo spin-echo sequence is important because it has high signal-to-noise ratio compared to gradient-echo sequences. It is usually acquired as 2-D sections in one or more planes.

Analytical evaluation of BEA zeolite for the pre-concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their subsequent chromatographic analysis in water samples.

The analytical performance of BEA - a commercial zeolite - is evaluated for the pre-concentration of fifteen Environmental Protection Agency - polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their subsequent HPLC analysis in tap and lake water samples. The pre-concentration factors obtained with BEA have led to a method with excellent analytical figures of merit. One milliliter aliquots were sufficient to obtain excellent precision of measurements at the parts-per-trillion concentration level with relative standard deviations varying from 4.