Autoimmune Neuromuscular Disorders in Childhood

Autoimmune neuromuscular disorders in childhood include Guillain-Barré syndrome and its variants, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP), juvenile myasthenia gravis (JMG), and juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM), along with other disorders rarely seen in childhood. In general, these diseases have not been studied as extensively as they have been in adults. Thus, treatment protocols for these diseases in pediatrics are often based on adult practice, but despite the similarities in disease processes, the most widely used treatments have different effects in children. For example, some of the side effects of chronic steroid use, including linear growth deceleration, bone demineralization, and chronic weight issues, are more consequential in children than in adults. Although steroids remain a cornerstone of therapy in JDM and are useful in many cases of CIDP and JMG, other immunomodulatory therapies with similar efficacy may be used more frequently in some children to avoid these long-term sequelae. Steroids are less expensive than most other therapies, but chronic steroid therapy in childhood may lead to significant and costly medical complications. Another example is plasma exchange. This treatment modality presents challenges in pediatrics, as younger children require central venous access for this therapy. However, in older children and adolescents, plasma exchange is often feasible via peripheral venous access, making this treatment more accessible than might be expected in this age group. Intravenous immunoglobulin also is beneficial in several of these disorders, but its high cost may present barriers to its use in the future. Newer steroid-sparing immunomodulatory agents, such as azathioprine, tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and rituximab, have not been studied extensively in children. They show promising results from case reports and retrospective cohort studies, but there is a need for comparative studies looking at their relative efficacy, tolerability, and long-term adverse effects (including secondary malignancy) in children

Activation effect of silver nanoparticles on the photoelectrochemical performance of mesoporous TiO2 nanospheres photoanodes for water oxidation reaction

This work reports the photodeposition of Ag nanoparticles onto mesoporous TiO2 (m-TiO2) pre-formed by the evaporation-induced self-assembly method. Photoanodes of Ag/m-TiO2 assembled by electrophoretic disclose a superior photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance for water oxidation reaction related to m-TiO2. The photoanodes physicochemical investigations witness the even arrangement of m-TiO2 nanospheres particles over the substrates. The PEC study displays a steady photocurrent density of 1 mAcm−2 at −1.0 V vs SCE was attained for Ag/m-TiO2 photoanodes in visible light illumination and it is nearly twofold enhancements in comparison with m-TiO2 photoanodes. The observed superior PEC nature was attributed to the reduced band-gap energy and charge recombination that caused from the incorporation of plasmonic photodeposited Ag nanoparticles on m-TiO2 nanospheres photoanodes.No Full Tex

Electrochemical behavior and corrosion resistance of Ti–15Mo alloy in naturally-aerated solutions, containing chloride and fluoride ions

The electrochemical behavior and corrosion resistance of Ti-15Mo alloy to applications as biomaterials in solutions 0.15 mol L-1 Ringer, 0.15 mol L-1 Ringer plus 0.036 mol L-1 NaF and 0.036 mol L-1 NaF (containing 1,500 ppm of fluoride ions, F-) were investigated using open-circuit potential, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope. Corrosion resistance and electrochemical stability of the Ti-15Mo alloy decreased in solutions containing F- ions. In all cases, there were formation and growth of TiO2 and MoO3 (a protector film), not being observed pitting corrosion, which might enable Ti-15Mo alloys to be used as biomedical implant, at least in the studied conditions, since the electrochemical stability and corrosion resistance of the passive films formed are necessary conditions for osseointegration.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Univ Estadual Paulista, Instituto de Química, BR-14800900 Araraquara, SP, BrazilUniv Estadual Paulista, Instituto de Química, BR-14800900 Araraquara, SP, Brazi