Dichloridobis(methanol-κO)[cis-(±)-2,4,5-tris­(pyridin-2-yl)-2-imidazoline-κ3 N 2,N 3,N 4]ytterbium(III) chloride

In the crystal structure of the title complex, [YbCl2(C18H15N5)(CH3OH)2]Cl, the pseudo-penta­gonal–bipyramidal coordination geometry of the YbIII cation is composed of three N atoms from one cis-(±)-2,4,5-tris­(pyridin-2-yl)imidazoline (HL) ligand, two O atoms from two methanol mol­ecules and two Cl− anions. Chains are formed along [010] through N—H⋯Cl, O—H⋯Cl and O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds

Determinación de la transmisibilidad hidráulica en un acuífero costero mediante estimación óptima de la relación Qe-T usando el filtro de Kalman

Background: The knowledge on the management of water as a vital resource to develop agriculture allows having greater effectiveness in its use. Goals: The agricultural activity in the lower part of the Sinaloa Riverdepends on the fresh water of the regional dams and the aquifer. Methods: The use of groundwater represents approximately 15% of the total water used. In the presence of prolonged periods of drought, new wells are drilled without the use of an appropriate guide for farmers on the location of aquifer areas with a greater hydraulic transmissivity with the purpose of exploiting them more rationally. The National Water Commission has registered more than 680 wells on both banks of the Sinaloa River. Results: The information of 205 of these pumping wells for agricultural or domestic use and the specific capacity information was analyzed. Then, 79 out of 205 wells have pumping tests. It is then determined that the objective of this research work was to find the relationship between the specific capacity (Qe) and hydraulic transmissivity (T) data of the study area using the Thiem formula, considering a fixed value of the radius of influence. This hypothetical consideration and the heterogeneities of the aquifer environment add to the T-Qe relationship an additional component, it is determined that it has a normal behavior. Using the Kalman filter it is possible to eliminate or reduce such a component, thus improving the determination of the T-Qe relation of an R-value of 0.95 (without filter) to 0.97 (with filter), for a linear and exponential relationship. Conclusions: The application of a T-Qe estimate allows characterizing the aquifer area, with this procedure a map was obtained on the distribution of T, which will serve as a guide for future exploitations of groundwater in the study area.Antecedentes: El conocimiento sobre el manejo del agua como recurso indispensable para desarrollar la agricultura permite tener mayor efectividad en su uso. Objetivos: La actividad agrícola en la parte baja del río Sinaloa depende del agua dulce de las presas regionales y del acuífero. Métodos: El uso del agua subterránea, representa aproximadamente el 15% del agua total usada. Ante la aparición de periodos de sequía prolongados, se perforan nuevos pozos sin el uso de una guía apropiada que oriente a los agricultores sobre la ubicación de las zonas acuíferas que tienen una mayor transmisividad hidráulica con el propósito de explotarlos de manera más racional. Resultados: La Comisión Nacional del agua tiene registrados más de 680 pozos en ambas márgenes del Río Sinaloa. Se analizó la información de 205 de estos pozos de bombeo para uso agrícola o doméstico y la información de capacidad específica. De este número, 79 pozos tienen pruebas de bombeo. Se determina entonces que el objetivo de este trabajo de investigación fue encontrar la relación entre los datos de capacidad especifica (Qe) y transmisividad hidráulica (T) de la zona de estudio usando la fórmula de Thiem, considerando un valor fijo del radio de influencia. Conclusiones: Esta consideración hipotética y las heterogeneidades del medio acuífero suman a la relación T Qe una componente adicional, se determina que tiene un comportamiento normal. Mediante el filtro de Kalman es posible eliminar o reducir tal componente, mejorando así la determinación de la relación T-Qe de un valor r de 0.95 (sin filtro) a 0.97 (con filtro), para una relación lineal y exponencial. La aplicación de una estimación T-Qe permite caracterizar la zona acuífera, con este procedimiento se obtuvo un mapa sobre ladistribución de T, que servirá de guía para futuras explotaciones del agua subterránea en la zona de estudio

Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to <90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], >300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of <15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P<0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P<0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

The depuration dynamics of oysters (Crassostrea gigas) artificially contaminated with hepatitis A virus and human adenovirus

Within the country of Brazil, Santa Catarina is a major shellfish producer. Detection of viral contamination is an important step to ensure production quality and consumer safety during this process. In this study, we used a depuration system and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection to eliminate viral pathogens from artificially infected oysters and analysed the results. Specifically, the oysters were contaminated with hepatitis A virus (HAV) or human adenovirus type 5 (HAdV5). After viral infection, the oysters were placed into a depuration tank and harvested after 48, 72 and 96 h. After sampling, various oyster tissues were dissected and homogenised and the viruses were eluted with alkaline conditions and precipitated with polyethylene glycol. The oyster samples were evaluated by cell culture methods, as well as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and quantitative-PCR. Moreover, at the end of the depuration period, the disinfected seawater was collected and analysed by PCR. The molecular assays showed that the HAdV5 genome was present in all of the depuration time samples, while the HAV genome was undetectable after 72 h of depuration. However, viral viability tests (integrated cell culture-PCR and immunofluorescence assay) indicated that both viruses were inactivated with 96 h of seawater recirculation. In conclusion, after 96 h of UV treatment, the depuration system studied in this work purified oysters that were artificially contaminated with HAdV5 and HAV

Effect of SGLT2 Inhibitors on Stroke and Atrial Fibrillation in Diabetic Kidney Disease: Results From the CREDENCE Trial and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Chronic kidney disease with reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate or elevated albuminuria increases risk for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. This study assessed the effects of sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) on stroke and atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF/AFL) from CREDENCE (Canagliflozin and Renal Events in Diabetes With Established Nephropathy Clinical Evaluation) and a meta-analysis of large cardiovascular outcome trials (CVOTs) of SGLT2i in type 2 diabetes mellitus.METHODS: CREDENCE randomized 4401 participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease to canagliflozin or placebo. Post hoc, we estimated effects on fatal or nonfatal stroke, stroke subtypes, and intermediate markers of stroke risk including AF/AFL. Stroke and AF/AFL data from 3 other completed large CVOTs and CREDENCE were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis.RESULTS: In CREDENCE, 142 participants experienced a stroke during follow-up (10.9/1000 patient-years with canagliflozin, 14.2/1000 patient-years with placebo; hazard ratio [HR], 0.77 [95% CI, 0.55-1.08]). Effects by stroke subtypes were: ischemic (HR, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.61-1.28]; n=111), hemorrhagic (HR, 0.50 [95% CI, 0.19-1.32]; n=18), and undetermined (HR, 0.54 [95% CI, 0.20-1.46]; n=17). There was no clear effect on AF/AFL (HR, 0.76 [95% CI, 0.53-1.10]; n=115). The overall effects in the 4 CVOTs combined were: total stroke (HRpooled, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.82-1.12]), ischemic stroke (HRpooled, 1.01 [95% CI, 0.89-1.14]), hemorrhagic stroke (HRpooled, 0.50 [95% CI, 0.30-0.83]), undetermined stroke (HRpooled, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.49-1.51]), and AF/AFL (HRpooled, 0.81 [95% CI, 0.71-0.93]). There was evidence that SGLT2i effects on total stroke varied by baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (P=0.01), with protection in the lowest estimated glomerular filtration rate (&lt;45 mL/min/1.73 m2]) subgroup (HRpooled, 0.50 [95% CI, 0.31-0.79]).CONCLUSIONS: Although we found no clear effect of SGLT2i on total stroke in CREDENCE or across trials combined, there was some evidence of benefit in preventing hemorrhagic stroke and AF/AFL, as well as total stroke for those with lowest estimated glomerular filtration rate. Future research should focus on confirming these data and exploring potential mechanisms. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02065791