MINERALOGICAL AND SPECTROSCOPIC STUDY OF NESQUEHONITE SYNTHESIZED BY REACTION OF GASEOUS CO2 WITH MG CHLORIDE SOLUTION

Στην παρούσα εργασία πραγματοποιήθηκε η σύνθεση νεσκεχονίτη, ενός ένυδρου ανθρακικού ορυκτού, υπό χαμηλές συνθήκες πίεσης με αντίδραση CO2 σε διάλυμα χλωριούχου μαγνησίου. Ο νεσκεχονίτης μπορεί να αξιοποιηθεί ως πρώτη ύλη σε δομικά υλικά και επιπλέον στην διαχείριση υγρών αποβλήτων. Ο νεσκεχονίτης μελετήθηκε με περιθλασιομετρία ακτίνων-Χ, υπέρυθρη φασματοσκοπία (FT-IR) και φασματοσκοπία Raman, διοφθάλμιο στερεοσκόπιο, Ηλεκτρονικό Μικροσκόπιο Σάρωσης και Ηλεκτρονικό Μικροσκόπιο Διερχόμενης Δέσμης Ηλεκτρονίων. Ο παραγόμενος νεσκεχονίτης αναπτύσσει επιμήκεις διαφανείς έως ημιδιαφανείς βελονοειδείς κρυστάλλους με υαλώδη λάμψη. Η υπέρυθρη φασματοσκοπία (FT-ΙR) και η φασματοσκοπία Raman υπέδειξαν την παρουσία ΟΗ- και HCO3 - στην κρυσταλλική δομή του νεσκεχονίτη. Η διαδικασία σύνθεσης που περιγράφεται στην παρούσα εργασία μπορεί να χρησιμοποιηθεί στην διαδικασία της ορυκτοποίησης για μόνιμη αποθήκευση των εκπομπών CO2Nesquehonite, a hydrous carbonate with promising uses such as building raw material and treatment of wastewaters, was synthesized under low pressure conditions by reaction of gaseous CO2 with Mg chloride solution and it was studied by means of X-Ray Diffraction, optical and scanning/transmission electron microscopy, and FTIR and Raman spectroscopic methods. Synthesized nesquehonite forms elongated fibers, exhibiting transparent to translucent diaphaneity and vitreous luster. It is characterized by high crystallinity. IR and Raman spectroscopy indicated the presence of OHand HCO3 - in the crystal structure of nesquehonite. The nesquehonite synthesis described herein constitutes a potential permanent storage of CO2 emissions

Coupled differentiation and division of embryonic stem cells inferred from clonal snapshots

The deluge of single-cell data obtained by sequencing, imaging and epigenetic markers has led to an increasingly detailed description of cell state. However, it remains challenging to identify how cells transition between different states, in part because data are typically limited to snapshots in time. A prerequisite for inferring cell state transitions from such snapshots is to distinguish whether transitions are coupled to cell divisions. To address this, we present two minimal branching process models of cell division and differentiation in a well-mixed population. These models describe dynamics where differentiation and division are coupled or uncoupled. For each model, we derive analytic expressions for each subpopulation's mean and variance and for the likelihood, allowing exact Bayesian parameter inference and model selection in the idealised case of fully observed trajectories of differentiation and division events. In the case of snapshots, we present a sample path algorithm and use this to predict optimal temporal spacing of measurements for experimental design. We then apply this methodology to an \textit{in vitro} dataset assaying the clonal growth of epiblast stem cells in culture conditions promoting self-renewal or differentiation. Here, the larger number of cell states necessitates approximate Bayesian computation. For both culture conditions, our inference supports the model where cell state transitions are coupled to division. For culture conditions promoting differentiation, our analysis indicates a possible shift in dynamics, with these processes becoming more coupled over time

Retinoic acid accelerates the specification of enteric neural progenitors from in-vitro-derived neural crest

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is derived primarily from the vagal neural crest, a migratory multipotent cell population emerging from the dorsal neural tube between somites 1 and 7. Defects in the development and function of the ENS cause a range of enteric neuropathies, including Hirschsprung disease. Little is known about the signals that specify early ENS progenitors, limiting progress in the generation of enteric neurons from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) to provide tools for disease modeling and regenerative medicine for enteric neuropathies. We describe the efficient and accelerated generation of ENS progenitors from hPSCs, revealing that retinoic acid is critical for the acquisition of vagal axial identity and early ENS progenitor specification. These ENS progenitors generate enteric neurons in vitro and, following in vivo transplantation, achieved long-term colonization of the ENS in adult mice. Thus, hPSC-derived ENS progenitors may provide the basis for cell therapy for defects in the ENS

The impact of staging FDG-PET/CT on treatment for stage III NSCLC - an analysis of population-based data from Ontario, Canada

PurposeFluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (FDG-PET/CT) is now considered a standard investigation for the staging of new cases of stage III NSCLC. However, there is not published level 3 evidence demonstrating the impact of FDG-PET/CT on appropriate therapy in this setting. Using retrospective population-based data, we sought to examine the role and timing that FDG-PET/CT scans play in influencing treatment choice, as well as survival in patients diagnosed with stage III NSCLC.Materials and methodsA retrospective cohort of patients diagnosed with stage III NSCLC from 2009-2017 in Ontario were identified from the IC/ES (formerly Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences) database. FDG-PET/CT utilization over time, trends in mediastinal biopsy technique and usage, the impact of FDG-PET/CT on overall survival (OS), and its influence on use of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) were explored. The impact of timing of pre-treatment FDG-PET/CT on OS was also analyzed (≤28 days prior to treatment, 29-56 days prior, and >56 days prior).ResultsBetween 2007 and 2017, a total of 13 796 people were diagnosed with stage III NSCLC in Ontario. FDG-PET/CT utilization increased over time with 0% of cases in 2007 and 74% in 2017 with pre-treatment FDG-PET/CT scans. The number of patients who received a mediastinal biopsy similarly increased in this timeframe increasing from 41% to 53%. More patients with pre-treatment FDG-PET/CT scans received curative-intent therapy than those who did not: 23% vs 13% for CRT (p<0.001), and 23% vs 10% for surgery (p<0.001). Median OS was longer in those with FDG-PET/CT scans prior to treatment (17 vs 11 months), as was 5-year survival (22% vs 14%, p<0.001), and this held true on both univariate and multivariate analyses. Timing of FDG-PET/CT scan relative to treatment was not associated with differences in OS.ConclusionImprovements in OS were seen in this cohort of stage III NSCLC patients who underwent a pre-treatment FDG-PET/CT scan. This can likely be attributed to stage-appropriate therapy due to more complete staging using FDG-PET/CT. This study stresses the importance of complete staging for suspected stage III NSCLC using FDG-PET/CT, and a need for continued advocacy for increased access to FDG-PET/CT scans

Management of preterm labor: Clinical practice guideline and recommendation by the WAPM-World Association of Perinatal Medicine and the PMF-Perinatal Medicine Foundation

: This practice guideline follows the mission of the World Association of Perinatal Medicine in collaboration with the Perinatal Medicine Foundation, bringing together groups and individuals throughout the world, with the goal of improving the management of preterm labor. In fact, this document provides further guidance for healthcare practitioners on the appropriate use of examinations with the aim to improve the accuracy in diagnosing preterm labor and allow timely and appropriate administration of tocolytics, antenatal corticosteroids and magnesium sulphate and avoid unnecessary or excessive interventions. Therefore, it is not intended to establish a legal standard of care. This document is based on consensus among perinatal experts throughout the world in the light of scientific literature and serves as a guideline for use in clinical practice