Geoquímica del extenso depósito de flujo piroclástico hiperalcalino del NW de México, basada en fluorescencia de rayos X convencional y portátil. Implicaciones en un contexto regional

Chemical analyses conducted on the surface of rock slabs under a combination of two X-ray spectrometry methods, wavelength dispersive XRF and energy dispersive XRF, are used to establish a geochemical correlation between the studied samples. This proves to be an excellent method for the characterization of volcanic glasses, particularly when particles of exotic origin are present, because the effect of these is not easily eliminated by conventional whole rock analysis. Analyses of glassy rhyolites (ignimbrites and lava flows) in northwestern Mexico establish a geochemical signature for the samples, providing criteria that allow us to: a) correlate them with a peralkaline volcanic event, previously reported, that occurred during Middle Miocene time; b) distinguish them from other metaluminous varieties in the region and, c) propose a correlation between all the peralkaline vitrophyres that crop out within the studied area, of at least 50.000 km2, validating the hypothesis that they are related to the same volcanic event. Finally, based on the results of this study and previous geological investigations, it is proposed that a distance of more than 100 km between the geographical location of the thickest peralkaline deposits in Sonora, is probably related to a displacement along transtensional dextral faults during the Late Miocene.El análisis químico realizado en secciones de roca bajo la combinación de dos métodos de espectrometría de fluorescencia de rayos x, por dispersión de longitudes de onda y por dispersión de energías, permitió establecer una correlación geoquímica entre las muestras estudiadas, resultando ser un excelente método para la caracterización de vidrios volcánicos, en particular cuando contienen partículas ajenas al magma que no pueden ser eliminadas por el análisis de roca total convencional. Los resultados obtenidos sobre las riolitas vítreas estudiadas (ignimbritas y coladas) del Noroeste de México permiten establecer una firma geoquímica de las muestras que proporciona criterios permitiendo: a) correlacionarlas con un evento volcánico, anteriormente descrito, de tipo hiperalcalino que ocurrió durante el Mioceno medio; b) diferenciarlas de las ignimbritas metaluminosas también presentes en la región y, c) proponer una correlación entre los vitrófiros de la zona estudiada, de al menos 50000 km2, haciendo válida la hipótesis de que todos ellos provienen de una misma erupción. Finalmente, basados en los resultados de este estudio y de trabajos geológicos previos, se propone que una diferencia de hasta más de 100 km en la ubicación geográfica de los depósitos hiperalcalinos de mayor espesor, es probablemente relacionada con un desplazamiento a lo largo de fallas dextrales asociadas a un evento extensivo en transtensión ocurrido durante el Mioceno superior

Geochemistry of the extensive peralkaline pyroclastic flow deposit of NW Mexico, based on conventional and handheld X-ray fluorescence. Implications in a regional context

Chemical analyses conducted on the surface of rock slabs under a combination of two X-ray spectrometry methods, wavelength dispersive XRF and energy dispersive XRF, are used to establish a geochemical correlation between the studied samples. This proves to be an excellent method for the characterization of volcanic glasses, particularly when particles of exotic origin are present, because the effect of these is not easily eliminated by conventional whole rock analysis. Analyses of glassy rhyolites (ignimbrites and lava flows) in northwestern Mexico establish a geochemical signature for the samples, providing criteria that allow us to: a) correlate them with a peralkaline volcanic event, previously reported, that occurred during Middle Miocene time; b) distinguish them from other metaluminous varieties in the region and, c) propose a correlation between all the peralkaline vitrophyres that crop out within the studied area, of at least 50.000 km^2, validating the hypothesis that they are related to the same volcanic event. Finally, based on the results of this study and previous geological investigations, it is proposed that a distance of more than 100 km between the geographical location of the thickest peralkaline deposits in Sonora, is probably related to a displacement along transtensional dextral faults during the Late Miocene

Covalently Cross-Linked Nanoparticles Based on Ferulated Arabinoxylans Recovered from a Distiller’s Dried Grains Byproduct

The purpose of this investigation was to extract ferulated arabinoxylans (AX) from dried distillers’ grains with solubles (DDGS) plus to investigate their capability to form covalently cross-linked nanoparticles. AX registered 7.3 µg of ferulic acid/mg polysaccharide and molecular weight and intrinsic viscosity of 661 kDa and 149 mL/g, correspondingly. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to confirm the identity of this polysaccharide. AX formed laccase induced covalent gels at 1% (w/v), which registered an elastic modulus of 224 Pa and a content of FA dimers of 1.5 µg/mg polysaccharide. Scanning electron microscopy pictures of AX gels exhibited a microstructure resembling a rough honeycomb. AX formed covalently cross-linked nanoparticles (NAX) by coaxial electrospray. The average hydrodynamic diameter of NAX determined by dynamic light scattering was 328 nm. NAX presented a spherical and regular shape by transmission electron microscopy analysis. NAX may be an attractive material for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications and an option in sustainable DDGS use

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

Amazon tree dominance across forest strata

The forests of Amazonia are among the most biodiverse plant communities on Earth. Given the immediate threats posed by climate and land-use change, an improved understanding of how this extraordinary biodiversity is spatially organized is urgently required to develop effective conservation strategies. Most Amazonian tree species are extremely rare but a few are common across the region. Indeed, just 227 ‘hyperdominant’ species account for >50% of all individuals >10 cm diameter at 1.3 m in height. Yet, the degree to which the phenomenon of hyperdominance is sensitive to tree size, the extent to which the composition of dominant species changes with size class and how evolutionary history constrains tree hyperdominance, all remain unknown. Here, we use a large floristic dataset to show that, while hyperdominance is a universal phenomenon across forest strata, different species dominate the forest understory, midstory and canopy. We further find that, although species belonging to a range of phylogenetically dispersed lineages have become hyperdominant in small size classes, hyperdominants in large size classes are restricted to a few lineages. Our results demonstrate that it is essential to consider all forest strata to understand regional patterns of dominance and composition in Amazonia. More generally, through the lens of 654 hyperdominant species, we outline a tractable pathway for understanding the functioning of half of Amazonian forests across vertical strata and geographical locations

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Morphological Performance of Vegetated and Non-Vegetated Coastal Dunes with Rocky and Geotextile Tube Cores under Storm Conditions

Coastal dune restoration projects are increasingly seen as a means of protecting the coast against storms, especially with the use of natural (plants), artificial (geotextile tube cores) and hybrid (plants and geotextile tube) elements. As geotextile tube cores have been found to negatively affect dune and beach natural morphodynamics, rocky cores are thus seen as a potential alternative. We carried out laboratory experiments to compare the performance of dunes with rocky cores, geotextile cores, and both types when coupled with planted vegetation. We investigated these elements in the context of scaled mild, moderate, and intense storm conditions. The results showed that dunes with either type of core lost more sand than dunes without cores. The addition of plants generally reduced the erosion across the various options, but most strongly for rocky cores under mild and moderate storm conditions. We also found that dunes with a high density of plants were best for intense conditions. Overall, the use of rocky dune cores, when coupled with plants, is the most suitable and sustainable alternative option in hybrid engineering projects

Cinética de la reacción de transesterificación del aceite de moringa en la obtención de biocombustible.

  La Moringa oleifera, es una planta con innumerables propiedades nutritivas y terapéuticas, por lo cual pudiera ser considerada como uno de los alimentos que contribuyen al bienestar y a la prevención de enfermedades por sus efectos antioxidantes. Además de su valor nutritivo, las hojas son ricas en antioxidantes, entre los cuales destacan los isotiocianatos, los cuales parecen presentar propiedades anticancerígenas, hipotensoras, hipoglucemiantes y antibióticas. Las concentraciones de factores antinutritivos en las hojas, tales como inhibidores de proteasas, taninos, saponinas y lectinas, son insignificantes; su hábitat de crecimiento es el trópico (< 2000 msnm). En la planta se han cuantificado proteínas, fibra, carbohidratos, aminoácidos, vitaminas, minerales y metabolitos secundarios (carotenos y tocoferoles); lo que explica parcialmente sus usos como alimento, tratamiento de enfermedades (respiratorias, gastrointestinales, inflamatorias, cardiacas, nutricionales y cutáneas), mejorador de suelo, materia prima para la industria alimentaria, de cosméticos, obtención de biocombustibles y tratamiento de agua. Una de las partes aprovechables del árbol es la semilla debido a su contenido entre un 30 y 45 % de aceite. El presente artículo científico tiene por objetivo general describir la cinética de reacción de transesterificación del aceite de moringa en la obtención de biocombustible.   Palabras clave: Moringa Oleifera, transesterificación, biocombustible, cinetica reacción.   Summary Moringa oleifera is a plant with innumerable nutritional and therapeutic properties, which is why it could be considered one of the foods that contribute to well-being and the prevention of diseases due to its antioxidant effects. In addition to its nutritional value, the leaves are rich in antioxidants, among which isothiocyanates stand out, which seem to have anti-cancer, hypotensive, hypoglycemic and antibiotic properties. The concentrations of antinutritive factors in the leaves, such as protease inhibitors, tannins, saponins and lectins, are negligible; its growth habitat is the tropics (<2000 masl). In the plant proteins, fiber, carbohydrates, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and secondary metabolites (carotenes and tocopherols) have been quantified; which partially explains its uses as food, treatment of diseases (respiratory, gastrointestinal, inflammatory, heart, nutritional and skin), soil improver, raw material for the food industry, cosmetics, obtaining biofuels and water treatment. One of the usable parts of the tree is the seed due to its content between 30 and 45% of oil. The general objective of this scientific article is to describe the transesterification reaction kinetics of moringa oil in obtaining biofuel.    Keywords: Moringa Oleifera, transesterification, biofuel, reaction kinetics