Raman spectra and vibrational analysis of CsPbI3: a fast and reliable technique to identify lead halide perovskite polymorphs

A major issue in the development of Lead halide perovskites is the assessment of the crystal structure of the samples, due to their typically limited time-stability, and the understanding of the role of external factors that can induce a crystal phase transformation (such as humidity, intense light flux, temperature, etc.). In this perspective, it is of utmost importance to have at disposal a fast and reliable experimental tool able to give an immediate indication of the polymorph of the sample with the possibility to integrate in-situ measurements for constant monitoring. In this paper we propose Raman spectroscopy as the ideal technique to solve this problem. The vibrational analysis of CsPbI3 in the α-phase and δ-phase and of the Cs4PbI6 secondary phase is reported and all the vibrational modes are assigned by comparing experimental spectra of the phases to Raman modes calculated within the DFT framework. Finally, the mechanism of laser induced phase degradation was studied using in-situ Raman measurements providing new insights on the secondary phase generated during the process

Estudio de Psicología Criminal sobre La Violencia en Panamá: Percepción entre peritos forenses del Instituto de Medicina Legal y los estudiantes de la Universidad de Panamá

Criminal behavior in Panama has rendered a feeling of national insecurity due to a widespread crime scare. This has become a worrisome problem of public health and legal issues which is a component of today`s national reality. Based upon the evidence from previous researches, a descriptive study was designed using a group of students chosen randomly at the University of Panama “El Observatorio de la Nación”, which is part of the University of Panamá provided a background for this study based upon their attitudes and beliefs related to violence according to the scale of Likert. The controlled group was chosen among experts on crime who are present working for the “Instituto de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses” which is part of the General Attorney´s Office. According to the results of this research, crime has increased in Panama due to the absence of proper public policies, limited access to education among poor people, family desintegration, drug trafficking, crime apology provided by the mass means of communication, cultural elements of empowering males over females as part of an unfair couple relationship which them produces female crimes and deficiencies in the re-socialization process of innates. As a conclusion, we believe that criminal policy should concentrate its efforts on lowering the rate of violence through family counseling and value-enhancing programs.La conducta criminal en Panamá con el consecuente sentimiento de inseguridad ciudadana ante el temor al delito se ha convertido en uno de los problemas de salud pública y socio jurídicos de gran preocupación desde el punto de vista de nuestra realidad nacional. Basado en las evidencias por resultados de investigaciones previas, se diseñó un estudio descriptivo exploratorio, el cual utiliza un grupo de estudiantes escogidos al azar de la Universidad de Panamá, considerada el Observatorio de la Nación; quienes emitieron sus opiniones basados en sus actitudes y creencias relacionadas con la 52 violencia, según la Escala de Likert. El grupo de comparación se seleccionó entre los peritos en criminalística en ejercicio del Instituto de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses adscritos al Ministerio Público. Se desprende de este estudio que se ha dado un aumento de la violencia en Panamá, debido a que no existen adecuadas políticas públicas, lo cual genera un condicionamiento social con nuevas necesidades que solo se pueden solucionar en un poder de control político y económico. Según la percepción de los estudiantes es probable que el aumento de la violencia se deba a factores tales como la agudización de la pobreza, falta de acceso a la educación en grupos vulnerables, desintegración familiar, narcotráfico, la contribución a la apología del delito a través de los medios de comunicación social, factores culturales de poder en las relaciones de pareja vinculadas al femicidio y la deficiencia en la resocialización de los privados de libertad. De esta investigación se desprende que las políticas criminológicas deberían estar orientadas a la reducción del flagelo de la violencia con programas de orientación familiar y educación en valores

Does anemia affect the predictive ability of bleeding risk scores in patients with acute coronary syndromes?

Introduction and objective: Anemia is a common comorbidity in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), and is associated with higher risk for both bleeding and ischemic complications. We aimed to assess the predictive ability of bleeding risk scores (Can Rapid risk stratification of Unstable angina patients Suppress ADverse outcomes with Early implementation of the ACC/AHA guidelines [CRUSADE], Mehran and Acute Coronary Treatment and Intervention Outcomes Network [ACTION]) in ACS patients with anemia. Methods: All consecutive ACS patients were prospectively included. The primary outcome was in-hospital major bleeding according to the CRUSADE, Mehran and ACTION definitions. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin <130 g/l in men and <120 g/l in women. The predictive ability of the bleeding risk scores was assessed by binary logistic regression, calculating receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and their corresponding area under the curve (AUC). Results: We included 2255 patients, mean age 62.4 years. Anemia was present in 550 patients (24.4%). Patients with anemia had a significantly higher prevalence of comorbidities. The three bleeding risk scores adequately predicted major bleeding in the whole cohort. No significant differences were observed regarding the predictive ability of each of the scores in patients with and without anemia (CRUSADE: AUC 0.73 without anemia vs. 0.74 with anemia, p=0.913; ACTION: AUC 0.68 without anemia vs. 0.73 with anemia, p=0.353; Mehran: AUC 0.69 without anemia vs. 0.61 with anemia, p=0.210). Only the Mehran score showed significantly lower predictive ability in patients with hemoglobin <11 g/dl (AUC 0.51, p=0.044). Conclusions: Anemia was a common comorbidity in patients with ACS from our series. Currently available bleeding risk scores showed an adequate predictive ability in patients with mild anemia

Anemia in patients with high-risk acute coronary syndromes admitted to Intensive Cardiac Care Units

Little information exists about the role of anemia in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) admitted to Intensive Cardiac Care Units (ICCU). The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of anemia and its impact on management and outcomes in this clinical setting. All consecutive patients admitted to eight different ICCUs with diagnosis of non-ST segment elevation ACS (NSTEACS) were prospectively included. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin < 130 g/L in men and < 120 g/L in women. The association between anemia and mortality or readmission at six months was assessed by the Cox regression method. A total of 629 patients were included. Mean age was 66.6 years. A total of 197 patients (31.3%) had anemia. Coronary angiography was performed in most patients (96.2%). Patients with anemia were significantly older, with a higher prevalence of comorbidities, poorer left ventricle ejection fraction and higher GRACE score values. Patients with anemia underwent less often coronary angiography, but underwent more often intraaortic counterpulsation, non-invasive mechanical ventilation and renal replacement therapies. Both ICCU and hospital stay were significantly longer in patients with anemia. Both the incidence of mortality (HR = 3.36, 95% CI: 1.43-7.85, P = 0.001) and the incidence of mortality/readmission were significantly higher in patients with anemia (HR = 2.80, 95% CI: 2.03-3.86, P = 0.001). After adjusting for confounders, the association between anemia and mortality/readmission remained significant (P = 0.031). Almost one of three NSTEACS patients admitted to ICCU had anemia. Most patients underwent coronary angiography. Anemia was independently associated to poorer outcomes at 6 months

Manejo con control de temperatura en los cuidados posparada cardiaca: documento de expertos

Targeted temperature management (TTM) through induced hypothermia (between 32-36 C) is currently regarded as a first-line treatment during the management of post-cardiac arrest patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The aim of TTM is to afford neuroprotection and reduce secondary neurological damage caused by anoxia. Despite the large body of evidence on its benefits, the TTM is still little used in Spain. There are controversial issues referred to its implementation, such as the optimal target body temperature, timing, duration and the rewarming process. The present study reviews the best available scientific evidence and the current recommendations contained in the international guidelines. In addition, the study focuses on the practical implementation of TTM in post-cardiac arrest patients in general and cardiological ICUs, with a discussion of the implementation strategies, protocols, management of complications and assessment of the neurological prognosis. oActualmente, el control estricto de temperatura mediante hipotermia inducida (entre 32 y 36 oC) se considera un tratamiento de primera línea en el manejo de pacientes con parada cardiaca recuperada que ingresan en Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos. Su objetivo es disminuir el da˜no neurológico secundario a anoxia cerebral. Aunque existen múltiples evidencias sobre sus beneficios, el empleo de esta técnica en nuestro país es pobre y todavía existen temas controvertidos como temperatura óptima, velocidad de instauración, duración y proceso de calentamiento. El objetivo de este trabajo es desarrollar la evidencia científica actual y las recomendaciones de las principales guías internacionales. El enfoque de este documento se centra también en aplicación práctica del control estricto de la temperatura en la parada cardiaca recuperada en nuestras Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos Generales o Cardiológicas, principalmente en los métodos de aplicación, protocolos, manejo de las complicaciones y elaboración del pronóstico neurológic

Management of temperature control in post-cardiac arrest care: an expert report

[spa] Actualmente, el control estricto de temperatura mediante hipotermia inducida (entre 32 y 36 oC) se considera un tratamiento de primera línea en el manejo de pacientes con parada cardiaca recuperada que ingresan en Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos. Su objetivo es disminuir el daño neurológico secundario a anoxia cerebral. Aunque existen múltiples evidencias sobre sus beneficios, el empleo de esta técnica en nuestro país es pobre y todavía existen temas controvertidos como temperatura óptima, velocidad de instauración, duración y proceso de calentamiento. El objetivo de este trabajo es desarrollar la evidencia científica actual y las recomendaciones de las principales guías internacionales. El enfoque de este documento se centra también en aplicación práctica del control estricto de la temperatura en la parada cardiaca recuperada en nuestras Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos Generales o Cardiológicas, principalmente en los métodos de aplicación, protocolos, manejo de las complicaciones y elaboración del pronóstico neurológico. [eng] Targeted temperature management (TTM) through induced hypothermia (between 32-36 oC) is currently regarded as a first-line treatment during the management of post-cardiac arrest patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The aim of TTM is to afford neuroprotection and reduce secondary neurological damage caused by anoxia. Despite the large body of evidence on its benefits, the TTM is still little used in Spain. There are controversial issues referred to its implementation, such as the optimal target body temperature, timing, duration and the rewarming process. The present study reviews the best available scientific evidence and the current recommendations contained in the international guidelines. In addition, the study focuses on the practical implementation of TTM in post-cardiac arrest patients in general and cardiological ICUs, with a discussion of the implementation strategies, protocols, management of complications and assessment of the neurological prognosis

Evaluation of phthalazinone phosphodiesterase inhibitors with improved activity and selectivity against Trypanosoma cruzi

BACKGROUND: Chagas' disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, needs urgent alternative therapeutic options as the treatments currently available display severe limitations, mainly related to efficacy and toxicity. OBJECTIVES: As phosphodiesterases (PDEs) have been claimed as novel targets against T. cruzi, our aim was to evaluate the biological aspects of 12 new phthalazinone PDE inhibitors against different T. cruzi strains and parasite forms relevant for human infection. METHODS: In vitro trypanocidal activity of the inhibitors was assessed alone and in combination with benznidazole. Their effects on parasite ultrastructural and cAMP levels were determined. PDE mRNA levels from the different T. cruzi forms were measured by quantitative reverse transcription PCR. RESULTS: Five TcrPDEs were found to be expressed in all parasite stages. Four compounds displayed strong effects against intracellular amastigotes. Against bloodstream trypomastigotes (BTs), three were at least as potent as benznidazole. In vitro combination therapy with one of the most active inhibitors on both parasite forms (NPD-040) plus benznidazole demonstrated a quite synergistic profile (xΣ FICI = 0.58) against intracellular amastigotes but no interaction (xΣ FICI = 1.27) when BTs were assayed. BTs treated with NPD-040 presented disrupted Golgi apparatus, a swollen flagellar pocket and signs of autophagy. cAMP measurements of untreated parasites showed that amastigotes have higher ability to efflux this second messenger than BTs. NPD-001 and NPD-040 increase the intracellular cAMP content in both BTs and amastigotes, which is also released into the extracellular milieu. CONCLUSIONS: The findings demonstrate the potential of PDE inhibitors as anti-T. cruzi drug candidates

Screening of a PDE-focused library identifies imidazoles with in vitro and in vivo antischistosomal activity

We report the evaluation of 265 compounds from a PDE-focused library for their antischistosomal activity, assessed in vitro using Schistosoma mansoni. Of the tested compounds, 171 (64%) displayed selective in vitro activity, with 16 causing worm hypermotility/spastic contractions and 41 inducing various degrees of worm killing at 100 μM, with the surviving worms displaying sluggish movement, worm unpairing and complete absence of eggs. The compounds that did not affect worm viability (n = 72) induced a complete cessation of ovipositing. 82% of the compounds had an impact on male worms whereas female worms were barely affected. In vivo evaluation in S. mansoni-infected mice with the in vitro ‘hit’ NPD-0274 at 20 mg/kg/day orally for 5 days resulted in worm burden reductions of 29% and intestinal tissue egg load reduction of 35% at 10 days post-treatment. Combination of praziquantel (PZQ) at 10 mg/kg/day for 5 days with NPD-0274 or NPD-0298 resulted in significantly higher worm killing than PZQ alone, as well as a reduction in intestinal tissue egg load, disappearance of immature eggs and an increase in the number of dead eggs

Planeamiento territorial sostenible: un reto para el futuro de nuestras sociedades; criterios aplicados

In a large part of the 17 sustainable development objectives set as goals for humanity by the UN, sustainability can be glimpsed. As a result of the dominant socio-productive model, the only way to head towards more sustainable territories that allow achieving and maintaining the well-being of the world's population is to bear in mind the need to properly plan territorial development. This work reflects on this need and takes a step forward in the definition of the main criteria to achieve territorial sustainability at regional and local scales