Cerebellar liponeurocytoma with extracranial extension: Case report

Cerebellar liponeurocytoma is a newly recognized, rare clinicopathological entity commonly described in the cerebellar hemispheres or the vermis. We present a rare case of cerebellar liponeurocytoma arising from the left cerebellar amygdala with extracranial extension. Such a condition has never been previously reported

Health promoting potential of herbal teas and tinctures from Artemisia campestris subsp maritima: from traditional remedies to prospective products

This work explored the biotechnological potential of the medicinal halophyte Artemisia campestris subsp. maritima (dune wormwood) as a source of health promoting commodities. For that purpose, infusions, decoctions and tinctures were prepared from roots and aerial-organs and evaluated for in vitro antioxidant, anti-diabetic and tyrosinase-inhibitory potential, and also for polyphenolic and mineral contents and toxicity. The dune wormwood extracts had high polyphenolic content and several phenolics were identified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array-mass-spectrometry (UHPLC-PDA-MS). The main compounds were quinic, chlorogenic and caffeic acids, coumarin sulfates and dicaffeoylquinic acids; several of the identified phytoconstituents are here firstly reported in this A. campestris subspecies. Results obtained with this plant's extracts point to nutritional applications as mineral supplementary source, safe for human consumption, as suggested by the moderate to low toxicity of the extracts towards mammalian cell lines. The dune wormwood extracts had in general high antioxidant activity and also the capacity to inhibit a-glucosidase and tyrosinase. In summary, dune wormwood extracts are a significant source of polyphenolic and mineral constituents, antioxidants and a-glucosidase and tyrosinase inhibitors, and thus, relevant for different commercial segments like the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and/or food industries.FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology [CCMAR/Multi/04326/2013]; Portuguese National Budget; FCT [IF/00049/2012, SFRH/BD/94407/2013]; Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO) [12M8315N]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

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

Synthesis, structural characterization and VUV excited luminescence properties of LixNa(1−x)Sm(PO3)4 polyphosphates

International audienceStoichiometric phosphors Li(x)Na(1−x)Sm(PO3)4(x = 0, 0.5, 1) were prepared in the solid state and were characterized at room temperature using X-ray diffraction, infrared and Raman spectroscopy. The obtained LiSm(PO3)4 and NaSm(PO3)4 polycrystalline samples are single-phased and have centrosymmetric monoclinic structure. The observed results show the presence of characteristic bands due to (PO2)− terminal and P−O−P bridging groups. However, the Li0.5Na0.5Sm(PO3)4 material seems to be a mixture of the Li and Na homologues. The VUV excitation and emission spectra of as-synthesized compounds were measured. It was found that the Sm3+ ions show an orange-red emission which corresponds to the group transitions 4G5/2 → 6HJ (J = 5/2, 7/2, 9/2, 11/2), with the strongest transition (4G5/2 → 6H7/2) peaking at around 597 nm. The decay curves were pure exponential. The derived time constants are comprise between 14 μs and 31 μs, the lowest value is for NaSm(PO3)4. The decays were modeled in the frame of fast diffusion model with a rough estimation of fast cross-relaxation mechanism which returns a cross-relaxation rate of 3–7 × 104 s−1 and diffusion constant of 1–2 × 10−9 cm2 s−1

Synthesis, structural characterization and VUV excited luminescence properties of LixNa(1−x)Sm(PO3)4 polyphosphates

International audienceStoichiometric phosphors Li(x)Na(1−x)Sm(PO3)4(x = 0, 0.5, 1) were prepared in the solid state and were characterized at room temperature using X-ray diffraction, infrared and Raman spectroscopy. The obtained LiSm(PO3)4 and NaSm(PO3)4 polycrystalline samples are single-phased and have centrosymmetric monoclinic structure. The observed results show the presence of characteristic bands due to (PO2)− terminal and P−O−P bridging groups. However, the Li0.5Na0.5Sm(PO3)4 material seems to be a mixture of the Li and Na homologues. The VUV excitation and emission spectra of as-synthesized compounds were measured. It was found that the Sm3+ ions show an orange-red emission which corresponds to the group transitions 4G5/2 → 6HJ (J = 5/2, 7/2, 9/2, 11/2), with the strongest transition (4G5/2 → 6H7/2) peaking at around 597 nm. The decay curves were pure exponential. The derived time constants are comprise between 14 μs and 31 μs, the lowest value is for NaSm(PO3)4. The decays were modeled in the frame of fast diffusion model with a rough estimation of fast cross-relaxation mechanism which returns a cross-relaxation rate of 3–7 × 104 s−1 and diffusion constant of 1–2 × 10−9 cm2 s−1