Botulinum toxin treatment in glaucomatous patients: a pilot study

PURPOSE: The purpose was to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment of iatrogenic entropion (IE), in patients affected by primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), by botulinum toxin injections (BTI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: 20 patients of the "Glaucoma Center" of the Hospital "Umberto I" (Rome) were examined. These patients had POAG and used prostaglandin analogues (PA). Mean age was 75.5 years old (range 68-83); they had been suffering from PAOG since 10 years and were not affected by other relevant systemic diseases. One to three BTI were made into the lower orbicularis muscle using a 0.3 G needle (0.025 to 0.05 units for each injection site). RESULTS: The results were particularly significant in 18 out of 20 patients. Two patients showed slight improvements. A rating scale ranging from 0 to 6 points (0 corresponded to 'no effect' and 6 to the 'complete' resolution of the entropion) was used to evaluate the goals of the treatment. The average rating was 5.37 points. CONCLUSIONS: The entropion due to glaucoma therapy with PA can be successfully treated with BTI in the orbicularis muscle, despite offering temporary therapeutic effects

cyclohexane oxidation in homogeneous and carbon-supported catalysis

The authors are grateful for the Financial support from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal, through project UIDB/00100/2020 of Centro de Quίmica Estrutural. The work was also funded by national funds through FCT, under the Scientific Employment Stimulus-Institutional Call (CEEC-INST/00102/2018). We also acknowledge the Associate Laboratory for Green Chemistry – LAQV financed by national funds from FCT/MCTES (UIDB/50006/2020 and UIDP/5006/2020) and Base-UIDB/50020/ 2020 and Programmatic-UIDP/50020/2020 funding of the Associate Laboratory LSRE-LCM. I. L. L. acknowledges the CATSUS Ph.D. Program from FCT for her grant PD/BD/135555/2018. A. P. is grateful to FCT and Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Portugal through DL/57/2017 (Contract no. IST-ID/197/2019). AGM is grateful to Associação do Instituto Superior Técnico para Investigação e Desenvolvimento for his post-doctoral fellowship through grant no. BL133/2021-IST-ID. This publication is also supported by the RUDN University Strategic Academic Leadership Program (recipient AJLP, preparation). A. V. G. thanks FCT, Instituto Superior Técnico (DL 57/2016, L 57/2017 and CEEC Institutional 2018 Programs, Contract no: IST-ID/110/2018) and Baku State University for financial support. The authors also acknowledge the Portuguese NMR Network (IST-UL Centre) for access to the NMR facility. CFGCG thanks the FCT for funding the Coimbra Chemistry Centre through the programmes UIDB/00313/2020 and UIDP/00313/2020, also co-founded by FEDER/ COMPETE 2020-EU. The authors are also thankful to Benjoe Rey B. Visayas (University of Massachusetts Dartmouth) for the help with the graphics.In accordance with UN's Sustainable Development Goal (UN's SDG) 12 which encompasses the sustainable use of chemical products and a sound circular economy, this work is focused on the synthesis of Co(II), Ni(II) and Mn(II) complexes bearing combined 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane and benzyl terpyridine core moieties (PTA–Bztpy) as ligand, followed by their evaluation as catalysts for the microwave-assisted cyclohexane oxidation using tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) as oxidant. The most active catalyst, with a manganese metal center, was heterogenized on six different carbon materials. The results disclosed the influence of several reaction parameters, such as catalyst loading, temperature, reaction time and solvent, on the catalytic activity and selectivity of the homogeneous and carbon-supported catalysts. Recyclability of the carbon-supported catalyst allowed facile separations, recovery and reuse for five consecutive cycles.publishersversionpublishe

Factors Affecting the Viability of Virtual Tourism in the Philippines

This study was conducted to assess the factors affecting the viability of virtual tourism in the Philippines. This employed a quantitative research design, in particular the causal research approach. Data were then analyzed using frequency distribution or percentage and the partial least squares–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method. To test the hypotheses of the study, partial least squares – structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was utilized using WarpPLS 7.0.  The findings revealed that the perceived benefit factors such as perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and sustainability positively affect the viability of virtual tourism in the Philippines, while in terms of perceived challenges security and navigation showed a significant positive effect on the viability of virtual tourism in the Philippines. Therefore, for future research studies, exploring other beneficial factors such as tourist behavioral factors, and other challenge factors such as financial capability and cultural factors that might help assess virtual tourism's viability in the Philippines is recommended

Heterogeneous catalytic degradation of phenolic substrates: catalysts activity

This review article explored the catalytic degradation of phenol and some phenols derivates by means of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Among them, only the heterogeneous catalyzed processes based on catalytic wet peroxide oxidation. catalytic ozonation and catalytic wet oxidation were reviewed. Also selected recent examples about heterogeneous photocatalytic AOPs; will be presented. In details, the present review contains: (i) data concerning catalytic wet peroxide oxidation of phenolic compounds over metal-exchanged zeolites, hydrotalcites, metal-exchanged clays and resins. (ii) Use of cobalt-based catalysts, hydrotalcite-like compounds, active carbons in the catalytic ozonation process. (iii) Activity of transition metal oxides, active carbons and supported noble metals catalysts in the catalytic wet oxidation of phenol and acetic acid. The most relevant results in terms of catalytic activity for each class of catalysts were reported