The manufacture and products thereof of photo-sensitizing nanomaterials and their use in photodynamic treatments

A method for the manufacture of a photosensitizing nanoma terial (40) and the products thereof are disclosed. The method for the treatment of a biological target (50) is disclosed. The photosensitizing nanomaterial (40) comprises a metal com plex tetrapyrrole derivative (10). The metal complex tetrapy rrole derivative (10) is attached by an axial covalent bond (60) to the surface (25) of a solid nanomaterial (20). The solid nanomaterial (20) has at least one dimension in the nanometer and/ or the micrometer range

Effect of preoperative pulmonary hemodynamic and cardiopulmonary bypass on lung function in children with congenital heart disease

In children with congenital heart disease (CHD), pulmonary blood flow (Qp) contributes to alterations of pulmonary mechanics and gas exchange, while cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) induces lung edema. We aimed to determine the effect of hemodynamics on lung function and lung epithelial lining fluid (ELF) biomarkers in biventricular CHD children undergoing CPB. CHD children were classified as high Qp (n = 43) and low Qp (n = 17), according to preoperative cardiac morphology and arterial oxygen saturation. We measured ELF surfactant protein B (SP-B) and myeloperoxidase activity (MPO) as indexes of lung inflammation and ELF albumin as index of alveolar capillary leak in tracheal aspirate (TA) samples collected before surgery and in 6 hourly intervals within 24 h after surgery. At the same time points, we recorded dynamic compliance and oxygenation index (OI). The same biomarkers were measured in TA samples collected from 16 infants with no cardiorespiratory diseases at the time of endotracheal intubation for elective surgery. Preoperative ELF biomarkers in CHD children were significantly increased than those found in controls. In the high Qp, ELF MPO and SP-B peaked 6 h after surgery and tended to decrease afterward, while they tended to increase within the first 24 h in the low Qp. ELF albumin peaked 6 h after surgery and decreased afterwards in both CHD groups. Dynamic compliance/kg and OI significantly improved after surgery only in the High Qp. Conclusion: In CHD children, lung mechanics, OI, and ELF biomarkers were significantly affected by CPB, according to the preoperative pulmonary hemodynamics.What is Known:• Congenital heart disease children, before cardiopulmonary run, exhibit changes in respiratory mechanics, gas exchange, and lung inflammatory biomarkers that are related to the preoperative pulmonary hemodynamics.• Cardiopulmonary bypass induces alteration of lung function and epithelial lining fluid biomarkers according to preoperative hemodynamics.What is New:• Our findings can help to identify children with congenital heart disease at high risk of postoperative lung injury who may benefit of tailored intensive care strategies, such as non-invasive ventilation techniques, fluid management, and anti-inflammatory drugs that can improve cardiopulmonary interaction in the perioperative period

Protective continuous ventilation strategy during cardiopulmonary bypass in children undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease: a prospective study

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate if a 'protective' (low-tidal/low-frequency) ventilation strategy can shorten the postoperative ventilation time and minimize acute lung injury in children with congenital heart disease (CHD) undergoing repair with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). METHODS: This is a single-centre prospective, interventional study, including children with CHD under the age of 5 years, undergoing open-heart surgery with a CPB >60 min, in hypothermia, haemodynamically stable, and without evident genetic abnormalities. Assist-control ventilation (tidal volume of 4 ml/kg, 10 breaths/min, positive end-expiratory pressure 5 cmH2O and FiO2 0.21) was applied in a cohort of patients during CPB. We compared clinical outcomes and in fully ventilated versus non-ventilated (control) patients. Propensity score was used to weigh ventilated and control groups to correct for the effect of other confounding clinical variables. Clinical and ventilation parameters and lung inflammatory biomarkers in tracheal aspirates were measured. The primary outcome was the postoperative intubation time of more or less than 48 h. RESULTS: We included 140 children (53 ventilated, 87 non-ventilated) with different CHD. There were no deaths or adverse events in ventilated patients. Using a weighted generalized linear model, we found no sufficient evidence for an effect of intraoperative ventilation on postoperative intubation time [estimate 0.13 (95% confidence interval, -0.08; 0.35), P = 0.22]. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous low-tidal/low-frequency mechanical ventilation during CPB is safe and harmless. However, no significant advantages were found when compared to non-ventilated patients in terms of postoperative ventilation time

Decellularized cryopreserved human pericardium: a validation study towards tissue bank practice

Pericardial patches are currently used as reconstructive material in cardiac surgery for surgical treatment of cardiac septal defects. Autologous pericardial patches, either treated with glutaraldehyde or not, can be used as an alternative to synthetic materials or xenograft in congenital septal defects repair. The availability of an allogenic decellularized pericardium could reduce complication during and after surgery and could be a valid alternative. Decellularization of allogenic tissues aims at reducing the immunogenic reaction that might trigger inflammation and tissue calcification over time. The ideal graft for congenital heart disease repair should be biocompatible, mechanically resistant, non-immunogenic, and should have the ability to growth with the patients. The aim of the present study is the evaluation of the efficacy of a new decellularization protocol of homologous pericardium, even after cryopreservation. The technique has proven to be suitable as a tissue bank procedure and highly successful in the removal of cells and nucleic acids content, but also in the preservation of collagen and biomechanical properties of the human pericardium

SN 2016coi/ASASSN-16fp: An example of residual helium in a type Ic supernova?

The optical observations of Ic-4 supernova (SN) 2016coi/ASASSN-16fp, from $\sim 2$ to $\sim450$ days after explosion, are presented along with analysis of its physical properties. The SN shows the broad lines associated with SNe Ic-3/4 but with a key difference. The early spectra display a strong absorption feature at $\sim 5400$ \AA\ which is not seen in other SNe~Ic-3/4 at this epoch. This feature has been attributed to He I in the literature. Spectral modelling of the SN in the early photospheric phase suggests the presence of residual He in a C/O dominated shell. However, the behaviour of the He I lines are unusual when compared with He-rich SNe, showing relatively low velocities and weakening rather than strengthening over time. The SN is found to rise to peak $\sim 16$ d after core-collapse reaching a bolometric luminosity of Lp $\sim 3\times10^{42}$ \ergs. Spectral models, including the nebular epoch, show that the SN ejected $2.5-4$ \msun\ of material, with $\sim 1.5$ \msun\ below 5000 \kms, and with a kinetic energy of $(4.5-7)\times10^{51}$ erg. The explosion synthesised $\sim 0.14$ \msun\ of 56Ni. There are significant uncertainties in E(B-V)host and the distance however, which will affect Lp and MNi. SN 2016coi exploded in a host similar to the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and away from star-forming regions. The properties of the SN and the host-galaxy suggest that the progenitor had $M_\mathrm{ZAMS}$ of $23-28$ \msun\ and was stripped almost entirely down to its C/O core at explosion.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. Updated to reflect the published version, minor typographical changes onl

Extensive Spectroscopy and Photometry of the Type IIP Supernova 2013ej

We present extensive optical ($UBVRI$, $g'r'i'z'$, and open CCD) and near-infrared ($ZYJH$) photometry for the very nearby Type IIP SN ~2013ej extending from +1 to +461 days after shock breakout, estimated to be MJD $56496.9\pm0.3$. Substantial time series ultraviolet and optical spectroscopy obtained from +8 to +135 days are also presented. Considering well-observed SNe IIP from the literature, we derive $UBVRIJHK$ bolometric calibrations from $UBVRI$ and unfiltered measurements that potentially reach 2\% precision with a $B-V$ color-dependent correction. We observe moderately strong Si II $\lambda6355$ as early as +8 days. The photospheric velocity ($v_{\rm ph}$) is determined by modeling the spectra in the vicinity of Fe II $\lambda5169$ whenever observed, and interpolating at photometric epochs based on a semianalytic method. This gives $v_{\rm ph} = 4500\pm500$ km s$^{-1}$ at +50 days. We also observe spectral homogeneity of ultraviolet spectra at +10--12 days for SNe IIP, while variations are evident a week after explosion. Using the expanding photosphere method, from combined analysis of SN 2013ej and SN 2002ap, we estimate the distance to the host galaxy to be $9.0_{-0.6}^{+0.4}$ Mpc, consistent with distance estimates from other methods. Photometric and spectroscopic analysis during the plateau phase, which we estimated to be $94\pm7$ days long, yields an explosion energy of $0.9\pm0.3\times10^{51}$ ergs, a final pre-explosion progenitor mass of $15.2\pm4.2$~M$_\odot$ and a radius of $250\pm70$~R$_\odot$. We observe a broken exponential profile beyond +120 days, with a break point at +$183\pm16$ days. Measurements beyond this break time yield a $^{56}$Ni mass of $0.013\pm0.001$~M$_\odot$.Comment: 29 pages, 23 figures, 15 tables, Published in The Astrophisical Journa

Efeito de fosfito de potássio na viabilidade de urediósporos de Phakopsora euvitis.

Suplemento. Edição dos Resumos do 42 Congresso Brasileiro de Fitopatologia, Rio de Janeiro, ago. 2009

Survival and Clinical Course at Fontan After Stage One Palliation With Either a Modified Blalock-Taussig Shunt or a Right Ventricle to Pulmonary Artery Conduit

ObjectivesWe sought to determine whether the type of shunt used at stage one palliation (S1P) affected the survival and the perioperative course through Fontan completion.BackgroundAlthough improved surgical and interstage survival have been demonstrated with the use of the right ventricle to pulmonary artery (RV-PA) conduit compared with a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt (BTS) at S1P, it is unknown whether this effect will be observed in long-term follow-up.MethodsAll patients who underwent a S1P during 2002 and 2003 (n = 80) at our institution were included for analysis. Patients were followed until death or June 1, 2007. Perioperative variables at Fontan completion were recorded.ResultsFor the entire cohort, cumulative survival for those who underwent a RV-PA conduit (n = 34) was 79.4% at 3 years compared with 65.8% in the modified BTS group (n = 46) (log-rank = 0.31). At Fontan (n = 44), when compared with those who had received a modified BTS, those who had a RV-PA conduit placed at S1P had no difference in the median duration of ventilation (21 h [range 10 to 96 h] vs. 26.5 h [range 7 to 204 h], p = 0.09) or hospital stay (9 days [range 5 to 29 days] vs. 10 days [range 6 to 48 days], p = 0.89), although length of stay in the intensive care unit was shorter (2 days [range 0 to 6 days] vs. 4 days [range 1 to 25 days], p = 0.01). Sixty-seven percent of the RV-PA conduit group had at least one PA intervention 3 years after S1P compared with 42.8% in the modified BTS group (log-rank = 0.11).ConclusionsNonstatistically significant trends toward improved cumulative survival and increased PA interventions were demonstrated in patients who had a RV-PA conduit placed at S1P. Longitudinal follow-up of larger groups of randomized patients is required to determine the influence of the RV-PA conduit on long-term outcomes

Testing SNe Ia distance measurement methods with SN 2011fe

The nearby, bright, almost completely unreddened Type Ia supernova 2011fe in M101 provides a unique opportunity to test both the precision and the accuracy of the extragalactic distances derived from SNe Ia light curve fitters. We apply the current, public versions of the independent light curve fitting codes MLCS2k2 and SALT2 to compute the distance modulus of SN 2011fe from high-precision, multi-color (BVRI) light curves. The results from the two fitting codes confirm that 2011fe is a "normal" (not peculiar) and only slightly reddened SN Ia. New unreddened distance moduli are derived as 29.21 +/- 0.07 mag (D ~ 6.95 +/- 0.23$ Mpc, MLCS2k2), and 29.05 +/- 0.07 mag (6.46 +/- 0.21 Mpc, SALT2). Despite the very good fitting quality achieved with both light curve fitters, the resulting distance moduli are inconsistent by 2 sigma. Both are marginally consistent (at ~1 sigma) with the HST Key Project distance modulus for M101. The SALT2 distance is in good agreement with the recently revised Cepheid- and TRGB-distance to M101. Averaging all SN- and Cepheid-based estimates, the absolute distance to M101 is ~6.6 +/- 0.5 Mpc.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in A&