Nanostructured Hybrids Based on Tantalum Bromide Octahedral Clusters and Graphene Oxide for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

[EN] The generation of hydrogen (H2) using sunlight has become an essential energy alternative for decarbonization. The need for functional nanohybrid materials based on photo- and electroactive materials and accessible raw materials is high in the field of solar fuels. To reach this goal, single-step synthesis of {Ta6Bri12}@GO (GO = graphene oxide) nanohybrids was developed by immobilization of [{Ta6Bri12}Bra2(H2O)a4]·4H2O (i = inner and a = apical positions of the Ta6 octahedron) on GO nanosheets by taking the advantage of the easy ligand exchange of the apical cluster ligands with the oxygen functionalities of GO. The nanohybrids were characterized by spectroscopic, analytical, and morphological techniques. The hybrid formation enhances the yield of photocatalytic H2 from water with respect to their precursors and this is without the presence of precious metals. This enhancement is attributed to the optimal cluster loading onto the GO support and the crucial role of GO in the electron transfer from Ta6 clusters into GO sheets, thus suppressing the charge recombination. In view of the simplicity and versatility of the designed photocatalytic system, octahedral tantalum clusters are promising candidates to develop new and environmentally friendly photocatalysts for H2 evolution.This research was funded by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN), grant number PGC2018-099744. Parts of this research dealing with metal cluster synthesis and characterization received funding from project RTI2018-096399-A-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ and ¿ERDF A way of making Europe¿. J.S.H. gratefully acknowledges the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and Generalitat Valenciana (GVA), Programa Santiago Grisolía, grant number GRISOLIA/2021/054. M.S. received financial support by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant number 20-33-90010) and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (grant number 121031700313¿8). The APC was funded by this journal.Hernandez-Niño, JS.; Shamsurin, M.; Puche Panadero, M.; Sokolov, MN.; Feliz Rodriguez, M. (2022). Nanostructured Hybrids Based on Tantalum Bromide Octahedral Clusters and Graphene Oxide for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution. Nanomaterials. 12(20). https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12203647122

Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity and Stability in Hydrogen Evolution of Mo(6)Iodide Clusters Supported on Graphene Oxide

[EN] Catalytic properties of the cluster compound (TBA)2[Mo6Ii8(O2CCH3)a6] (TBA = tetrabutylammonium) and a new hybrid material (TBA)2Mo6Ii8@GO (GO = graphene oxide) in water photoreduction into molecular hydrogen were investigated. New hybrid material (TBA)2Mo6Ii8@GO was prepared by coordinative immobilization of the (TBA)2[Mo6Ii8(O2CCH3)a6] onto GO sheets and characterized by spectroscopic, analytical, and morphological techniques. Liquid and, for the first time, gas phase conditions were chosen for catalytic experiments under UV-Vis irradiation. In liquid water, optimal H2 production yields were obtained after using (TBA)2[Mo6Ii8(O2CCH3)a6] and (TBA)2Mo6Ii8@GO) catalysts after 5 h of irradiation of liquid water. Despite these remarkable catalytic performances, "liquid-phase" catalytic systems have serious drawbacks: the cluster anion evolves to less active cluster species with partial hydrolytic decomposition, and the nanocomposite completely decays in the process. Vapor water photoreduction showed lower catalytic performance but offers more advantages in terms of cluster stability, even after longer radiation exposure times and recyclability of both catalysts. The turnover frequency (TOF) of (TBA)2Mo6Ii8@GO is three times higher than that of the microcrystalline (TBA)2[Mo6Ii8(O2CCH3)a6], in agreement with the better accessibility of catalytic cluster sites for water molecules in the gas phase. This bodes well for the possibility of creating {Mo6I8}4+-based materials as catalysts in hydrogen production technology from water vapor.This research was funded by the Severo Ochoa Program, grant number SEV-2016-0683, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion, grant number PGC2018-099744, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, grant number I-Link1063, and Russian Foundation for Basic Research, grant number 18-33-20056.Puche Panadero, M.; García-Aboal, R.; Mikhaylov, MA.; Sokolov, MN.; Atienzar Corvillo, PE.; Feliz Rodriguez, M. (2020). Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity and Stability in Hydrogen Evolution of Mo(6)Iodide Clusters Supported on Graphene Oxide. Nanomaterials. 10(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/nano1007125910

O sedentarismo digital como precursor da deterioração da saúde em adolescentes e jovens

Resumen: Introducción: Hoy en día la falta de ejercicio físico está adquiriendo dimensiones pandémicas. Teniendo en cuenta que el uso de tecnología de forma pasiva se ha instaurado en la vida cotidiana de jóvenes y adolescentes, resulta clave promover la adhesión actividad física con el fin de evitar posibles problemas de salud en el futuro. Objetivos: Explorar la relación existente entre la disminución de la práctica de actividad física y el uso de las nuevas tecnologías en la adolescencia. Métodos: Se presenta el siguiente trabajo de revisión bibliográfica, realizándose una búsqueda exhaustiva de información en la plataforma web of Sciencie que engloba múltiples bases de datos tales como MEDLINE, Journal Citation Report, SCIELO, entre otras Resultados y discusión: El ocio digital sedentario y la falta de actividad física repercuten negativamente en el estado de salud de la población adolescente; el ejercicio físico se considera factor protector ante esta problemática; así como el entorno y contexto familiar influyen en el tiempo en pantalla consumido por los más jóvenes. Conclusiones: El exceso de tiempo en pantalla recomendado es una realidad que afecta negativamente a la salud de adolescentes y jóvenes, por ello es necesario inculcar hábitos saludables en los jóvenes para que incluyan la práctica de ejercicio físico en su tiempo libreAbstract: Introduction: Introduction: Today the lack of physical exercise is acquiring pandemic dimensions. Bearing in mind that passive use of technology has been established in the daily life of young people and adolescents, it is key to promote adherence to physical activity in order to avoid possible health problems in the future. Objectives: To explore the relationship between the decrease in the practice of physical activity and the use of new technologies in adolescence. Methods: The following bibliographical review work is presented, with an exhaustive search of information in the Web platform of science that includes multiple databases such as MEDLINE, Journal Citation report, SCIELO, among other results and discussion: Sedentary digital leisure and lack of physical activity negatively affect the health status of the adolescent population; Physical exercise is considered a protective factor in the face of this problem; As well as the environment and family context influence the time on screen consumed by the younger. Conclusions: Excess time on screen recommended is a reality that negatively affects the health of adolescents and young people, so it is necessary to instill healthy habits in young people to include the practice of physical exercise in their free timeResumo: Introdução: Introdução: hoje a falta de exercício físico está adquirindo dimensões pandêmicas. Tendo em vista que o uso passivo da tecnologia tem sido estabelecido no cotidiano dos jovens e adolescentes, é fundamental promover a adesão à atividade física, a fim de evitar possíveis problemas de saúde no futuro. Objetivos: explorar a relação entre a diminuição da prática de atividade física e o uso de novas tecnologias na adolescência. Métodos: é apresentado o seguinte trabalho de revisão bibliográfica, com uma busca exaustiva de informações na plataforma Web da ciência, que inclui múltiplas bases de dados como MEDLINE, relatório Journal Citation, SCIELO, entre outros. Resultados e discussão: o lazer digital sedentário e a falta de atividade física afetam negativamente o estado de saúde da população adolescente; O exercício físico é considerado um fator protetor diante desse problema; Assim como o ambiente e o contexto familiar influenciam o tempo na tela consumida pelos mais jovens. Conclusões: o excesso de tempo na tela recomendada é uma realidade que afeta negativamente a saúde de adolescentes e jovens, por isso é necessário incuficar hábitos saudáveis nos jovens para incluir a prática do exercício físico em seu tempo livr

Reframing assessment research: through a practice perspective

Assessment as a field of investigation has been influenced by a limited number of perspectives. These have focused assessment research in particular ways that have emphasised measurement, or student learning or institutional policies. The aim of this paper is to view the phenomenon of assessment from a practice perspective drawing upon ideas from practice theory. Such a view places assessment practices as central. This perspective is illustrated using data from an empirical study of assessment decision-making and uses as an exemplar the identified practice of ‘bringing a new assessment task into being’. It is suggested that a practice perspective can position assessment as integral to curriculum practices and end separations of assessment from teaching and learning. It enables research on assessment to de-centre measurement and take account of the wider range of people, phenomena and things that constitute it

Early and late morbidity and mortality and life expectancy following thoracoscopic talc insufflation for control of malignant pleural effusions: a review of 400 cases

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Malignant pleural effusion is a common sequelae in patients with certain malignancies. It represents a terminal condition with short median survival (in terms of months) and the goal is palliation. Aim of our study is to analyze morbidity, mortality and life expectancy following videothoracoscopic talc poudrage.</p> <p>Materials and methods</p> <p>From September 2004 to October 2009, 400 patients underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for malignant pleural effusion. The conditions of patients were assessed and graded before and after treatment concerning morbidity, mortality, success rate of pleurodesis and median survival.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The median duration of follow up was 40 months (range 4-61 months). All patients demonstrated notable improvement in dyspnea. Intraoperative mortality was zero. The procedure was well tolerated and no significant adverse effects were observed. In hospital mortality was 2% and the pleurodesis success rate was 85%. A poor Karnofsky Performance Status and delay between diagnosis of pleural effusion and pleurodesis were statistically significant factors for in-hospital mortality. The best survival was seen in breast cancer, followed by ovarian cancer, lymphoma and pleural mesothelioma.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Video-assisted thoracoscopic talc poudrage is an effective and safe procedure that yields a high rate of successful pleurodesis and achieves long-term control with marked dyspnea decrease.</p

Inflammatory response in mixed viral-bacterial community-acquired pneumonia

BACKGROUND: The role of mixed pneumonia (virus + bacteria) in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) has been described in recent years. However, it is not known whether the systemic inflammatory profile is different compared to monomicrobial CAP. We wanted to investigate this profile of mixed viral-bacterial infection and to compare it to monomicrobial bacterial or viral CAP. METHODS: We measured baseline serum procalcitonin (PCT), C reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cell (WBC) count in 171 patients with CAP with definite etiology admitted to a tertiary hospital: 59 (34.5%) bacterial, 66 (39.%) viral and 46 (27%) mixed (viral-bacterial). RESULTS: Serum PCT levels were higher in mixed and bacterial CAP compared to viral CAP. CRP levels were higher in mixed CAP compared to the other groups. CRP was independently associated with mixed CAP. CRP levels below 26 mg/dL were indicative of an etiology other than mixed in 83% of cases, but the positive predictive value was 45%. PCT levels over 2.10 ng/mL had a positive predictive value for bacterial-involved CAP versus viral CAP of 78%, but the negative predictive value was 48%. CONCLUSIONS: Mixed CAP has a different inflammatory pattern compared to bacterial or viral CAP. High CRP levels may be useful for clinicians to suspect mixed CAP

Insertion of an SVA-E retrotransposon into the CASP8 gene is associated with protection against prostate cancer

To access publisher's full text version of this article, please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field or click on the hyperlink at the top of the page marked Files. This article is open access.Transcriptional and splicing anomalies have been observed in intron 8 of the CASP8 gene (encoding procaspase-8) in association with cutaneous basal-cell carcinoma (BCC) and linked to a germline SNP rs700635. Here, we show that the rs700635[C] allele, which is associated with increased risk of BCC and breast cancer, is protective against prostate cancer [odds ratio (OR) = 0.91, P = 1.0 × 10(-6)]. rs700635[C] is also associated with failures to correctly splice out CASP8 intron 8 in breast and prostate tumours and in corresponding normal tissues. Investigation of rs700635[C] carriers revealed that they have a human-specific short interspersed element-variable number of tandem repeat-Alu (SINE-VNTR-Alu), subfamily-E retrotransposon (SVA-E) inserted into CASP8 intron 8. The SVA-E shows evidence of prior activity, because it has transduced some CASP8 sequences during subsequent retrotransposition events. Whole-genome sequence (WGS) data were used to tag the SVA-E with a surrogate SNP rs1035142[T] (r(2) = 0.999), which showed associations with both the splicing anomalies (P = 6.5 × 10(-32)) and with protection against prostate cancer (OR = 0.91, P = 3.8 × 10(-7)).National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) G0500966/75466 Department of Health, Medical Research Council Cancer Research UK University of Cambridge NIHR Department of Health Anniversary Fund of the Austrian National Bank 15079 Medical and Scientific Fund of the Mayor of the City of Vienna 10077 Common Fund of the Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health NCI NHGRI NHLBI NIDA NIMH NINDS NCI\SAIC-Frederick, Inc. (SAIC-F) 10XS170 Roswell Park Cancer Institute 10XS171 Science Care, Inc. X10S172 SAIC-F 10ST1035 HHSN261200800001E deCODE genetics/AMGEN HHSN268201000029C DA006227 DA033684 N01MH000028 MH090941 MH101814 MH090951 MH090937 MH101820 MH101825 MH090936 MH101819 MH090948 MH101782 MH101810 MH10182