Population-based prevalence of cervical infection with human papillomavirus genotypes 16 and 18 and other high risk types in Tlaxcala, Mexico

This study was supported by the National Institute of Public Health of Mexico, the Coordinación de Investigación en Salud del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, the Secretaría de Salud Tlaxcala, the Instituto Nacional de las Mujeres, and the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología [FOSISS 2013 202468]. Additional support has been provided by Roche Diagnostics, BD Diagnostics, DICIPA and Arbor Vita Corporation. The study sponsors did not played a role in designing the study, collecting, analyzing or interpreting the data, writing the report, or submitting this paper for publication. UC Berkeley Center for Global Public Health, Schoeneman Grant, Joint Medical Program Thesis Grant, and Cancer Research UK (C569/A10404)

Extended Thromboprophylaxis with Betrixaban in Acutely Ill Medical Patients

Background Patients with acute medical illnesses are at prolonged risk for venous thrombosis. However, the appropriate duration of thromboprophylaxis remains unknown. Methods Patients who were hospitalized for acute medical illnesses were randomly assigned to receive subcutaneous enoxaparin (at a dose of 40 mg once daily) for 10±4 days plus oral betrixaban placebo for 35 to 42 days or subcutaneous enoxaparin placebo for 10±4 days plus oral betrixaban (at a dose of 80 mg once daily) for 35 to 42 days. We performed sequential analyses in three prespecified, progressively inclusive cohorts: patients with an elevated d-dimer level (cohort 1), patients with an elevated d-dimer level or an age of at least 75 years (cohort 2), and all the enrolled patients (overall population cohort). The statistical analysis plan specified that if the between-group difference in any analysis in this sequence was not significant, the other analyses would be considered exploratory. The primary efficacy outcome was a composite of asymptomatic proximal deep-vein thrombosis and symptomatic venous thromboembolism. The principal safety outcome was major bleeding. Results A total of 7513 patients underwent randomization. In cohort 1, the primary efficacy outcome occurred in 6.9% of patients receiving betrixaban and 8.5% receiving enoxaparin (relative risk in the betrixaban group, 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65 to 1.00; P=0.054). The rates were 5.6% and 7.1%, respectively (relative risk, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.66 to 0.98; P=0.03) in cohort 2 and 5.3% and 7.0% (relative risk, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.63 to 0.92; P=0.006) in the overall population. (The last two analyses were considered to be exploratory owing to the result in cohort 1.) In the overall population, major bleeding occurred in 0.7% of the betrixaban group and 0.6% of the enoxaparin group (relative risk, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.67 to 2.12; P=0.55). Conclusions Among acutely ill medical patients with an elevated d-dimer level, there was no significant difference between extended-duration betrixaban and a standard regimen of enoxaparin in the prespecified primary efficacy outcome. However, prespecified exploratory analyses provided evidence suggesting a benefit for betrixaban in the two larger cohorts. (Funded by Portola Pharmaceuticals; APEX ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01583218. opens in new tab.

Thermally stimulated luminescence of a natural layered double hydroxide

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and many of the related hydrotalcite-like minerals have been well studied from the chemical and structural point of view; however, their luminescence properties have been scarcely studied. We herein report on the thermoluminescence (TL) behaviour of a natural LDH (Mg6Cr2CO3(OH)16·4H2O), previously characterized by X-ray fluorescence, X-ray energy-dispersive spectrometry, electron probe microanalysis, thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis, that exhibited a very complex green-IR spectral emission. The broad waveband peaked at ~ 640 nm can be mainly linked to the 4T1 → 6A1 (at 570 nm), 4A2g → 2Eg (~ 685 nm), 4T1 → 6A1 (~ 700 nm), and 1T2g → 3A2g (green) and 1T2g → 3T2g (red) transitions due, respectively, to the presence of Mn2+, Cr3+, Fe2+ and Ni2+. The weak red-TL emission can likely be attributed to the quenching effect due to Fe (~ 8–11%) ions substituting for Mg2+.This work was partially supported by the Project CICYT CGL2010-17108.Peer Reviewe

Effect of the irradiation dose on the luminescence emission of a Mg-rich phyllosilicate

This paper reports on the thermoluminescence and cathodoluminescence behaviour of a well-characterized sepiolite (Si12Mg8O30(OH)4(OH2)4·8H2O). Both natural and induced thermoluminescence curves display a complex emission suggesting a continuum in the trap distribution involving multiorder kinetics. UV¿IR cathodoluminescence spectral emission shows five wavebands at 330, 400 and 440 (associated with structural defects, [AlO4] or non-bridging oxygen hole centers) and 520 and 770 nm (linked to point defects). This daily-use material, that is of interest since could be employed for personal dosimetry in the case of radiation accident or radiological terrorism where conventional monitoring has not been established, were never investigated before.Peer Reviewe

Blue thermoluminescence emission of annealed lithium rich aluminosilicates

The blue thermoluminescence (TL) emission of different thermally annealed (i) ß-eucryptite (LiAlSiO4), (ii) virgilite-petalite (LiAlSi5O12) and (iii) virgilite-petalite-bikitaite (LiAlSi10O22) mixed crystals have been studied. The observed changes in the TL glow curves could be linked to simultaneous processes taking place in the lithium aluminosilicate lattice structure (phase transitions, consecutive breaking linking of bonds, alkali self-diffusion, redox reactions, etc). The stability of the TL signal after four months of storage performed at RT under red light, shows big differences between annealed (12 hours at 1200°C) and non-annealed samples. The fading process in non-annealed samples can be fitted to a first-order decay mathematical expression; however preheated samples could not be reasonably fitted due to the highly dispersion detected. The changes observed in the X-ray diffractograms are in the intensity of the peaks that denote modifications in the degree of crystallinity and, in addition, there are some differences in the appeareance of new peaks that could suppose new phases (e.g. ß-spodumene)

Light emission bands in the radioluminescence and thermoluminescence spectra of kaolinite

This work is focused on the study of the thermoluminescence (TL) and radioluminescence (RL) properties of a well-characterized kaolinite. Both TL and RL spectra exhibited complex glow curves that were deconvoluted into five wavebands at about 370, 425, 464, 544 and 680 nm. The low wavelength emissions were linked to structural defects that induced strains in the lattice due to the presence of the hydroxyl groups. Green and red emissions were associated with Mn2+ and Fe3+ ions. Unlike other aluminosilicates, the sample did not display the 290 nm waveband that is attributable to the presence of Na ions. The chemical analysis by ICP-MS indicated the absence of this alkali ion. The estimation of the activation energy for each TL waveband using the initial rise method revealed the existence of traps at the same depth (ca. 1.06 ± 0.09 eV) regardless of the spectral region

Dose–response of thermoluminescence in natural kaolinite

The thermal effect on the luminescence emission of a well-characterized natural kaolinite has been investigated by means of differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermoluminescence (TL) to determine, respectively, the modifications of the material due to the thermal treatments up to 1000 °C and its potential use in the field of dating and retrospective dosimetry. The DTA detects water loss starting at 100–120 °C, a dehydroxylation process in the range of 400–500 °C and the transformation of kaolinite into metakaolinite at 570 °C. The dose dependence of the 400 nm TL intensity of kaolinite exhibits an excellent linearity in the range of 50 mGy to 8 Gy. In addition, the stability of the induced TL signal after six months of storage shows an initial rapid decay (ca. 60%) followed by a mild slope reaching the stability longer than six months. The tests of thermal stability at different temperatures allow us to speculate in a continuum of trap distribution with progressive changes in the glow curve shape, intensity and temperature position of the maximum peak. According to this thermal behavior, some physical parameters have been estimated using the initial rise method