Elective Cancer Surgery in COVID-19-Free Surgical Pathways During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: An International, Multicenter, Comparative Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19-free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19-free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS: Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19-free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19-free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score-matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION: Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19-free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks

Elective cancer surgery in COVID-19-free surgical pathways during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: An international, multicenter, comparative cohort study

PURPOSE As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19–free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19–free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19–free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19–free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score–matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19–free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks

Outcomes from elective colorectal cancer surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

This study aimed to describe the change in surgical practice and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality after surgical resection of colorectal cancer during the initial phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Potentiometric stripping analysis of lead and cadmium leaching from dental prosthetic materials and teeth

Potentiometric stipping analysis (PSA) was applied for the determination of lead and cadmium leaching from dental prosthetic materials and teeth. The soluble lead content in finished dental implants was found to be much lower than that of the individual components used for their preparation. Cadmium was not detected in dental implants and materials under the defined conditions. The soluble lead and cadmium content of teeth was slightly lower than the lead and cadmium content in whole teeth (w/w) reported by other researchers, except in the case of a tooth with removed amalgam filling. The results of this work suggest that PSA may be a good method for lead and cadmium leaching studies for investigation of the biocompatibility of dental prosthetic materials

Carotenoids

Carotenoids are one of the most widespread pigment groups distributed in nature; more than 700 natural carotenoids have been described so far. These pigments are known for versatile roles they play in living organisms; however, their most pivotal function is involvement in scavenging of reactive oxygen species and photoprotection. In the same time, carotenoids as natural pigments with important biological activities, such as antioxidant and provitamin A activity, have a great potential in the food, feed and pharmaceutical industries. They can be either extracted from plants and algae or synthesized by various microorganisms, including bacteria, yeasts, filamentous fungi and microalgae

Fourier Transforms - High-tech Application and Current Trends

The main purpose of this book is to provide a modern review about recent advances in Fourier transforms as the most powerful analytical tool for high-tech application in electrical, electronic, and computer engineering, as well as Fourier transform spectral techniques with a wide range of biological, biomedical, biotechnological, pharmaceutical, and nanotechnological applications. The confluence of Fourier transform methods with high tech opens new opportunities for detection and handling of atoms and molecules using nanodevices, with potential for a large variety of scientific and technological applications

Electrocatalitic behaviour of serpentinite modified carbon paste electrode

Electrochemistry of carbon paste electrode which contained serpentinite powder and graphite in 1:1 weight ratio was examined in three-electrode cell regarding its electrocatalytic and sensing properties. For this purpose, red-ox reactions of potassium ferrocyanide in aqueous solutions as benchmark media and pesticide tebufenozide (TBF) were examined. Serpentinite characterization performed by XRPD, SEM/EDX, and FTIR confirmed the structure typical for this mineral rock. Voltammetric analyses have in all cases shown that serpentinite modified carbon paste electrode (S-CPE) possess superior electrocatalytic activity in contrast to bare CPE for the red-ox reactions of K-4[Fe(CN)(6)]. The enlargement of the peak currents, higher electroactive surface area, and the decline of the peak-to-peak separation are a proof of reversible and faster electron transfer kinetics for S-CPE. The effect of pH on the electrochemical behaviour of TBF was investigated in Britton-Robinson buffer solutions in range from 2.0 to 7.0 and showed the best analytical performance at pH 5.0. The oxidation peak of TBF appeared at + 0.5 V vs. Ag/AgCl under conditions optimized for the determination of TBF in the differential pulse stripping voltammetry: initial potential + 0.1 V, end potential + 0.9 V, accumulation potential -0.35 V, accumulation time 120 s, and the scan rate 50 my s(-1)

concentration of pahs in forest ecosystems of the protected natural resource "Avala"

Belgrade is one of the greenest capitals in Europe. The protected natural area, "Avala" (i.e. a separate part of unit that is declared as a landscape of outstanding features) is located on the territory of Belgrade and attracts the attention of all profiles of researchers. It should be noted also that the area of Avala was bombed in 1999 and the Avala Tower was destroyed. Researches aiming to determine the pollutant loading of the area are of particular importance. The aim of this research is to determine the content of 16 types of PAHs in three different locations on Avala sites 1, 2 and 3, with sampling of soil at two different depths (0-10 cm and 10-20 cm). One of the most frequent streets in downtown Belgrade (locality 4) was chosen as control site. On the basis of the results, it can be concluded that the soil of Avala is well preserved, which is in line with the declaration that Avala is a protected area