Effects of the modification of gas diffusion electrodes by organic redox catalysts for hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis

This paper reports a comparative study of the electrochemical performance of in situ hydrogen peroxide electrogeneration on gas diffusion electrodes modified by organic redox catalysts 2-ethylanthraquinone, 2-terc-butylanthraquinone and azobenzene in medium of 0.1 mol L-1 H2SO4 plus 0.1 mol L-1 K2SO4, pH = 1. Hydrogen peroxide generation proved strongly dependent on the applied potential and on the concentration of added catalysts. Electrode modifications led to a significant increase in H2O2 yield (30%) reaching 850 mg L-1, and the overpotential for oxygen reduction shifted to less negative values (400 mV vs Ag/AgCl for electrodes modified by quinones and 300 mV vs Ag/AgCl for electrodes modified by azobenzene) compared to noncatalyzed gas diffusion electrodes, resulting in reduced energy consumption of 596.5 to 232.4 kWh kg-1. The results indicated that the best electrode for H2O2 electrogeneration is the gas diffusion electrode modified with 10% of 2-ethylanthraquinone, offering the best cost to benefit ratio.Este trabalho apresenta um estudo comparativo da eficiência eletroquímica na eletrogeração de peróxido de hidrogênio in situ usando eletrodos da difusão gasosa modificados com os catalisadores orgânicos redox: 2-etilantraquinona, 2-terc-butilantraquinona e azobenzeno em meio de 0,1 mol L-1 H2SO4 + 0,1 mol L-1 K2SO4, pH = 1. A produção de peróxido de hidrogênio está diretamente relacionada ao potencial aplicado e a concentração dos catalisadores adicionados. A modificação dos eletrodos resultou em um aumento significativo no rendimento de H2O2 (30%) alcançando 850 mg L-1 e o sobrepotencial da reação de redução do oxigênio foi deslocado para valores menos negativos (400 mV vs Ag/AgCl para os eletrodos modificados com quinonas e 300 mV vs. Ag/AgCl para os eletrodos modificados com azobenzeno) comparado ao eletrodo de difusão gasosa não modificado, reduzindo o consumo de energia de 596,5 para 232,4 kWh kg-1. Os resultados indicaram que o melhor eletrodo para a eletrogeração do H2O2 é o eletrodo de difusão gasosa modificado com 10% de 2-etilantraquinona, o qual apresentou a melhor relação custo/benefício.643650Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Scanning electrochemical microscopy: study of the deposition and stripping mechanism of lead in the presence of copper

This paper describes the application of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) in the substrate-generation/tip-collection (SG/TC) mode to elucidate mechanistic aspects of the deposition and stripping of Pb2+ ions in the presence of Cu2+ into a glassy carbon substrate electrode. A stripping peak was observed between the main peaks corresponding to the pure metals. Its position, height and shape were investigated, and the peak intensity was found to depend on the Pb2+/Cu2+ concentration ratio. The results suggested that this peak was due to the dissolution of lead deposited in copper, as a result of an underpotential deposition. The scanning electrochemical microscope provided additional information towards the understanding of the stripping mechanisms in analytical studies. In particular, the SECM-tip response yielded direct evidence about the speciation of some of the compounds evolved during stripping. This information was not available from the voltammetric response of the substrate electrode alone.Este artigo descreve a utilização da microscopia eletroquímica de varredura (SECM) no modo geração pelo substrato/coleta pela ponta (SG/TC), com o objetivo de elucidar aspectos mecanísticos da deposição eletrolítica e redissolução anódica de íons Pb2+ na presença de Cu2+, utilizando-se um eletrodo de carbono vítreo como substrato. Um pico anódico foi observado entre os principais picos correspondentes à redissolução dos metais puros. A posição, intensidade e forma deste pico foram investigadas e foi verificado que eram função da razão entre as concentrações de Pb2+ e Cu2+. Os resultados sugerem que o pico é devido à dissolução do chumbo depositado sobre cobre, resultante de uma deposição em regime de subtensão. A SECM forneceu informações adicionais para o entendimento dos mecanismos de redissolução que não seriam obtidas a partir da análise apenas da resposta voltamétrica.10821088Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Effects of the modification of gas diffusion electrodes by organic redox catalysts for hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis

This paper reports a comparative study of the electrochemical performance of in situ hydrogen peroxide electrogeneration on gas diffusion electrodes modified by organic redox catalysts 2-ethylanthraquinone, 2-terc-butylanthraquinone and azobenzene in medium of 0.1 mol L-1 H2SO4 plus 0.1 mol L-1 K2SO4, pH = 1. Hydrogen peroxide generation proved strongly dependent on the applied potential and on the concentration of added catalysts. Electrode modifications led to a significant increase in H2O2 yield (30%) reaching 850 mg L-1, and the overpotential for oxygen reduction shifted to less negative values (400 mV vs Ag/AgCl for electrodes modified by quinones and 300 mV vs Ag/AgCl for electrodes modified by azobenzene) compared to noncatalyzed gas diffusion electrodes, resulting in reduced energy consumption of 596.5 to 232.4 kWh kg-1. The results indicated that the best electrode for H2O2 electrogeneration is the gas diffusion electrode modified with 10% of 2-ethylanthraquinone, offering the best cost to benefit ratio

Is Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor Methylation Involved in the Association Between Prenatal Stress and Maternal Postnatal Anxiety During the COVID-19 Pandemic?

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic is a collective trauma that may expose susceptible individuals to high levels of stress. Pregnant women represent a high-risk population, considering that pregnancy is a period of heightened neuroplasticity and susceptibility to stress through epigenetic mechanisms. Previous studies showed that the methylation status of the BDNF gene is linked with prenatal stress exposure. The goals of this study were (a) to assess the association between pandemic-related stress and postnatal anxiety and (b) to investigate the potential role of maternal BDNF methylation as a significant mediator of this association. MethodsIn the present study, we report data on the association among pandemic-related stress during pregnancy, maternal BDNF methylation, and postnatal anxiety symptoms. Pandemic-related stress and postnatal anxiety were assessed through self-report instruments. BDNF methylation was estimated in 11 CpG sites in DNA from mothers' buccal cells. Complete data were available from 108 mothers. ResultsResults showed that pandemic-related stress was associated with an increased risk of postnatal anxiety, r = 0.20, p < 0.05. CpG-specific BDNF methylation was significantly associated with both prenatal pandemic-related stress, r = 0.21, p < 0.05, and postnatal maternal anxious symptoms, r = 0.25, p = 0.01. Moreover, a complete mediation by the BDNF CpG6 methylation emerged between pandemic-related stress during pregnancy and postnatal maternal anxiety, ACME = 0.66, p < 0.05. ConclusionThese findings suggest that BDNF epigenetic regulation by pandemic-related stress might contribute to increase the risk of anxiety in mothers. Policymakers should prioritize the promotion of health and wellbeing in pregnant women and mothers during the present healthcare emergency

Modifiable and non-modifiable factors related to HPV infection and cervical abnormalities in women at high risk: a cross-sectional analysis from the Valhidate Study

Abstract: Migrant women, and women infected with HIV, are at enhanced risk of cervical HPV infection and HPV-related cancers. We investigated factors that can reduce these risks through public health preventive and screening interventions. We compared prevalence and risk factors for cervical HPV infection/lesions in women with HIV-infection (HIW) and migrant women (RMW) with a control group of resident women (SPW) who were enrolled in the study for the eVALuation and monitoring of HPV Infections and relATEd cervical diseases in high-risk women (VALHIDATE). Among 3093 evaluable women, age-standardized HPV prevalence was 36.3% (95%CI: 28.1\u201344.4) in HIW, 21.6% (95%CI: 15.7\u201327.5) in RMW, and 14.3% (95%CI: 12.5\u201316.1) in SPW. Adjusted prevalence of HPV infection was 2.07 times higher among HIW (95%CI: 1.75\u20132.45), and 1.45 times higher among RMW (95%CI: 1.17\u20131.80) than in SPW. Prevalence-ratios of SIL and HG-SIL were 2.67 (95%CI: 2.06\u20133.45) and 2.82 (95%CI: 1.28\u20136.20), respectively, in HIW compared to controls. A multivariate log-binomial regression model showed modifiable risk factors associated with HPV infection/lesion to have different patterns among groups. Specific public-health intervention, including health and sexual-health education, safe-sex procedures, and improvements to screening programmes, could favorably affect these highly vulnerable women

Rapid induction of orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma in immune-competent rats by non-invasive ultrasound-guided cells implantation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The fact that prognoses remain poor in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma highlights the demand for suitable animal models to facilitate the development of anti-cancer medications. This study employed a relatively non-invasive approach to establish an orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma model in immune-competent rats. This was done by ultrasound-guided implantation of cancer cells and the model was used to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of short-term and low-dose epirubicin chemotherapy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Rat Novikoff hepatoma cells were injected percutaneously into the liver lobes of Sprague-Dawley rats under the guidance of high resolution ultrasound. The implantation rate and the correlation between dissected and ultrasound-measured tumor sizes were evaluated. A similar induction procedure was performed by means of laparotomy in a different group of rats. Pairs of tumor measurement were compared by ultrasound and computerized tomography scan. Rats with a successful establishment of the tumor were divided into the treatment (7-day low-dose epirubicin) group and the control group. The tumor sizes were non-invasively monitored by the same ultrasound machine. Blood and tumor tissues from tumor-bearing rats were examined by biochemical and histological analysis respectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Ultrasound-guided implantation of Novikoff hepatoma cells led to the formation of orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma in 60.4% (55/91) of the Sprague-Dawley rats. Moreover, tumor sizes measured by ultrasound significantly correlated with those measured by calipers after sacrificing the animals (<it>P </it>< 0.00001). The rate of tumor induction by ultrasound-guided implantation was comparable to that of laparotomy (55/91, 60.4% vs. 39/52, 75%) and no significant difference in sizes of tumor was noted between the two groups. There was a significant correlation in tumor size measurement by ultrasound and computerized tomography scan. In tumor-bearing rats, short-term and low-dose epirubicin chemotherapy caused a significant reduction in tumor growth, and was found to be associated with enhanced apoptosis and attenuated proliferation as well as a decrease in the microvessel density in tumors.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Ultrasound-guided implantation of Novikoff hepatoma cells is an effective means of establishing orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma in Sprague-Dawley rats. Short-term and low-dose epirubicin chemotherapy had perturbed tumor progression by inducing apoptosis and neovascularization blockade.</p

"Delirium Day": A nationwide point prevalence study of delirium in older hospitalized patients using an easy standardized diagnostic tool

Background: To date, delirium prevalence in adult acute hospital populations has been estimated generally from pooled findings of single-center studies and/or among specific patient populations. Furthermore, the number of participants in these studies has not exceeded a few hundred. To overcome these limitations, we have determined, in a multicenter study, the prevalence of delirium over a single day among a large population of patients admitted to acute and rehabilitation hospital wards in Italy. Methods: This is a point prevalence study (called "Delirium Day") including 1867 older patients (aged 65 years or more) across 108 acute and 12 rehabilitation wards in Italian hospitals. Delirium was assessed on the same day in all patients using the 4AT, a validated and briefly administered tool which does not require training. We also collected data regarding motoric subtypes of delirium, functional and nutritional status, dementia, comorbidity, medications, feeding tubes, peripheral venous and urinary catheters, and physical restraints. Results: The mean sample age was 82.0 \ub1 7.5 years (58 % female). Overall, 429 patients (22.9 %) had delirium. Hypoactive was the commonest subtype (132/344 patients, 38.5 %), followed by mixed, hyperactive, and nonmotoric delirium. The prevalence was highest in Neurology (28.5 %) and Geriatrics (24.7 %), lowest in Rehabilitation (14.0 %), and intermediate in Orthopedic (20.6 %) and Internal Medicine wards (21.4 %). In a multivariable logistic regression, age (odds ratio [OR] 1.03, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.05), Activities of Daily Living dependence (OR 1.19, 95 % CI 1.12-1.27), dementia (OR 3.25, 95 % CI 2.41-4.38), malnutrition (OR 2.01, 95 % CI 1.29-3.14), and use of antipsychotics (OR 2.03, 95 % CI 1.45-2.82), feeding tubes (OR 2.51, 95 % CI 1.11-5.66), peripheral venous catheters (OR 1.41, 95 % CI 1.06-1.87), urinary catheters (OR 1.73, 95 % CI 1.30-2.29), and physical restraints (OR 1.84, 95 % CI 1.40-2.40) were associated with delirium. Admission to Neurology wards was also associated with delirium (OR 2.00, 95 % CI 1.29-3.14), while admission to other settings was not. Conclusions: Delirium occurred in more than one out of five patients in acute and rehabilitation hospital wards. Prevalence was highest in Neurology and lowest in Rehabilitation divisions. The "Delirium Day" project might become a useful method to assess delirium across hospital settings and a benchmarking platform for future surveys

The past, present, and future of the Brain Imaging Data Structure (BIDS)

The Brain Imaging Data Structure (BIDS) is a community-driven standard for the organization of data and metadata from a growing range of neuroscience modalities. This paper is meant as a history of how the standard has developed and grown over time. We outline the principles behind the project, the mechanisms by which it has been extended, and some of the challenges being addressed as it evolves. We also discuss the lessons learned through the project, with the aim of enabling researchers in other domains to learn from the success of BIDS