MOCVD Growth of ZnO Nanowires Through Colloidal and Sputtered Au Seed Via Zn[TMHD]2 Precursor

AbstractZinc oxide (ZnO) nanowire (NW) arrays were grown on Si (100) substrate by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) via Zn[TMHD]2 as precursor. Here we adopted two different procedures to grow ZnO NWs namely, colloid and sputtered Au pre-deposition on Si (100) substrate. Comparative studies based on the morphology and growth behavior of ZnO NWs were performed. The grown ZnO NWs were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Co-focal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and Raman spectroscopy

Nurses' perceptions of aids and obstacles to the provision of optimal end of life care in ICU

Contains fulltext : 172380.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Structural improvement of higher education in environmental toxicology in Latin America and Europe

Industrial development has resulted in an increased release of chemicals and other agents into the environment, resulting in damage to the environment as well as increasing the risk of adverse effects on human health. Environmental toxicology (ET) is the discipline responsible for assessing the risks to human health and the environment from the effects of new chemicals and those already present in the environment. The development of human resources in toxicology is therefore a priority in both Latin America (LA) and the European Union (EU), although LA professionals are more involved in risk evaluation than in risk assessment compared to their EU colleagues. A solid background in general toxicology will enable those interested in environmental issues to tackle local problems. Moreover, the increasing globalization of markets and, therefore, of the necessary regulations, requires harmonisation of postgraduate programmes to ensure that risk assessment and management related to the environment are dealt with uniformly and by highly qualified scientists. The Inaugural Meeting of the ALFA-OMET project ‘Development, Integration and Harmonisation of Training in Occupational Medicine and Environmental Toxicology’, a 2-year programme supported by the European Commission, offered the opportunity to discuss a number of these issues. The present status of existing ET courses in the EU and LA and the corresponding professional profiles in the two regions were examined, and a harmonized academic curriculum for a postgraduate course in environmental toxicology was developed. Finally, a course programme for toxicology and a specialization in environmental toxicology designed by a panel of experts was discussed, and its relevance as a model for other specialisation programmes was analysed. Exercises such as those performed by ALFA-OMET may be useful not only in promoting discussion for the implementation of national and international professional registers in LA, but also in encouraging the same, ongoing process in the EU

Composición química, actividad antibacteriana del aceite esencial de Citrus sinensis L. (Na­ranja dulce) y formulación de una forma farmacéutica

This study aimed to characterize the chemical components of essential oil of Citrus sinensis L., determine its antibacterial activity and make dosageforms, mainly for local use. The essential oil was obtained from the dried leaves of the selected species, using a hydrodistillation system with water steam sweep; tests were conducted miscibility and determination of physical constants, such as specific gravity, refractive index and optical rotation. The chemical composition was determined by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (CG/EM), standing out in the sugiero: chromatogram spectral signals in the elucidating: Limonene, beta-linalool, decanal and 2 (10)-pinene(1S,5S)-(-)-. The determination of antibacterial activity in vitro was tested by agar diffusion method and the formation of inhibition halos against strains of Gram (+), as Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25,933 and Staphylococcus epidermidis, demonstrating significant antibacterial activity at concentrations 100 and 50% respectively, but not with Gram (-): Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853. These results gave us the guidance to design dosage forms for local use, formulated: a carbomer based gel, a lotion based in ethanol and isopropyl alcohol and mouthwash. The results of the stability studies of the formulations, as well as tolerance and irritability with human tissue of the products show favorable results for use in skin diseases like acne, and in the case of mouthwash as a good oral antiseptic. The study has revealed that the essential oil of Citrus sinensis L. has antibacterial activity against strains of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25,933 and Staphylococcus epidermidis, also allow the preparation of pharmaceutical forms for local use.El presente estudio tuvo como objetivos, caracterizar los componentes químicos del aceite esencial de Citrus sinensis L. (Naranja dulce), determinar su actividad antibacteriana y formular formas farmacéuticas, principalmente de uso local. El aceite esencial se obtuvo del pericarpio , de la especie seleccionada, utilizando un sistema de hidrodestilación con arrastre de vapor de agua; así mismo, se realizaron los ensayos de miscibilidad y determinación de constantes físicas, como: gravedad específica, índice de refracción y rotación óptica. La composición química se determinó por Cromatografía de Gases/Espectrometría de Masa (CG/EM), destacándose en el cromatograma señales espectrales de identificación en la elucidación de: Limoneno, ß-linalol, decanal y 2(10)-pineno(1S,5S)-(-)-. La determinación de la actividad antibacteriana in vitro se realizó por el método de difusión en agar y en la formación de halos de inhibición contra cepas de microorganismos Gram (+), como: Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25933 y Staphylococcus epidermidis, demostrando actividad antibacteriana significativa a concentraciones de 100 y 50%, respectivamente; no así con los microorganismos Gram (-): Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli y Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853. Estos resul¬tados nos dieron la orientación para diseñar formas farmacéuticas de uso local, formulándose: un gel con base de carbomer, una loción con base de etanol y alcohol isopropílico, así como un colutorio. Los resultados de los estudios de estabilidad de las formu¬laciones, así como de tolerancia e irritabilidad con el tejido humano de los productos nos muestran resultados favorables para su utilización en enfermedades de la piel, como el acné, y en el caso del colutorio como un buen antiséptico bucal. El estudio ha permitido concluir que el aceite esencial de Citrus sinensis L. posee actividad antibacteriana contra cepas de Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25933 y Staphylococcus epidermidis, además de permitir la elaboración de formas farmacéuticas de uso local

Genetic diversity of HLA system in two populations from Nuevo León, Mexico: Monterrey and rural Nuevo León

We studied HLA class I (HLA-A, -B) and class II (HLA-DRB1, -DQB1) alleles by PCR-SSP based typing in 665 Mexicans from the state of Nuevo León living in the city of Monterrey (N = 226) and rural communities (N = 439), to obtain information regarding allelic and haplotypic frequencies. We find that the most frequent haplotypes in the state of Nuevo León include 12 Native American and three European haplotypes. Admixture estimates revealed that the main genetic components in the state of Nuevo León are Native American (54.53 ± 0.87 by ML; 48.88 of Native American haplotypes) and European (38.67 ± 4.06 by ML; 32.59 of European haplotypes), and a less prominent African genetic component (6.80 ± 4.30 by ML; 8.26 of African haplotypes)

The immunogenetic diversity of the HLA system in Mexico correlates with underlying population genetic structure

We studied HLA class I (HLA-A, -B) and class II (HLA-DRB1, -DQB1) allele groups and alleles by PCR-SSP based typing in a total of 15,318 mixed ancestry Mexicans from all the states of the country divided into 78 sample sets, providing information regarding allelic and haplotypic frequencies and their linkage disequilibrium, as well as admixture estimates and genetic substructure. We identified the presence of 4268 unique HLA extended haplotypes across Mexico and find that the ten most frequent (HF > 1%) HLA haplotypes with significant linkage disequilibrium (Δ’≥0.1) in Mexico (accounting for 20% of the haplotypic diversity of the country) are of primarily Native American ancestry (A*02~B*39~DRB1*04~DQB1*03:02, A*02~B*35~DRB1*08~DQB1*04, A*68~B*39~DRB1*04~DQB1*03:02, A*02~B*35~DRB1*04~DQB1*03:02, A*24~B*39~DRB1*14~DQB1*03:01, A*24~B*35~DRB1*04~DQB1*03:02, A*24~B*39~DRB1*04~DQB1*03:02, A*02~B*40:02~DRB1*04~DQB1*03:02, A*68~B*35~DRB1*04~DQB1*03:02, A*02~B*15:01~DRB1*04~DQB1*03:02). Admixture estimates obtained by a maximum likelihood method using HLA-A/-B/-DRB1 as genetic estimators revealed that the main genetic components in Mexico as a whole are Native American (ranging from 37.8% in the northern part of the country to 81.5% in the southeastern region) and European (ranging from 11.5% in the southeast to 62.6% in northern Mexico). African admixture ranged from 0.0 to 12.7% not following any specific pattern. We were able to detect three major immunogenetic clusters correlating with genetic diversity and differential admixture within Mexico: North, Central and Southeast, which is in accordance with previous reports using genome-wide data. Our findings provide insights into the population immunogenetic substructure of the whole country and add to the knowledge of mixed ancestry Latin American population genetics, important for disease association studies, detection of demographic signatures on population variation and improved allocation of public health resources.1 Introduction 2 Subjects, materials and methods 2.1 Subjects 2.2 HLA typing 2.3 Statistical analysis 2.3.1 HLA allelic and haplotypic diversity 2.3.2 Admixture proportions calculations 2.3.3 Genetic diversity and genetic substructure assessment 3 Results 3.1 HLA allele groups 3.2 Haplotypic diversity 3.3 Admixture estimates 3.4 Genetic diversity and genetic substructure assessment 4 Discussion 4.1 Admixture estimates in Mexican populations and immunogenetic diversity 4.2 The Native American immunogenetic component in Mexican populations 4.3 Implications of the study of alleles and haplotypes of the HLA system in Mexican populations and final considerations 5 Conclusio