ADOR zeolite with 12 × 8 × 8-ring pores derived from IWR germanosilicate

Zeolites have been well known for decades as catalytic materials and adsorbents and are traditionally prepared using the bottom-up synthesis method. Although it was productive for more than 250 zeolite frameworks, the conventional solvothermal synthesis approach provided limited control over the structural characteristics of the formed materials. In turn, the discovery and development of the Assembly-Disassembly-Organization-Reassembly (ADOR) strategy for the regioselective manipulation of germanosilicates enabled the synthesis of previously unattainable zeolites with predefined structures. To date, the family tree of ADOR materials has included the topological branches of UTL, UOV, IWW, *CTH, and IWV zeolites. Herein, we report on the expansion of ADOR zeolites with a new branch related to the IWR topology, which is yet unattainable experimentally but theoretically predicted as highly promising adsorbents for CO2 separation applications. The optimization of not only the chemical composition but also the dimensions of the crystalline domain in the parent IWR zeolite in the Assembly step was found to be the key to the success of its ADOR transformation into previously unknown IPC-17 zeolite with an intersecting 12 × 8 × 8-ring pore system. The structure of the as-prepared IPC-17 zeolite was verified by a combination of microscopic and diffraction techniques, while the results on the epichlorohydrin ring-opening with alcohols of variable sizes proved the molecular sieving ability of IPC-17 with potential application in heterogeneous catalysis. The proposed synthesis strategy may facilitate the discovery of zeolite materials that are difficult or yet impossible to achieve using a traditional bottom-up synthesis approach.

Current State and Perspectives of Exfoliated Zeolites

Zeolites are highly efficient industrial catalysts and sorbents with microporous framework structures. Approximately 10% of the frameworks, but eventually all in the long run, have produced both 3D crystals and 2D layers. The latter can be intercalated and expanded like all 2D materials but proved difficult to exfoliate directly into suspensions of monolayers in solution as precursors for unique synthetic opportunities. Successful exfoliations have been reported recently and are overviewed in this perspective article. The discussion highlights 3 primary challenges in this field, namely finding suitable 2D zeolite preparations that exfoliate directly in high yield, proving uniform layer thickness in solution and identifying applications to exploit the unique synthetic capabilities and properties of exfoliated zeolite monolayers. Four zeolites have been confirmed to exfoliate directly into monolayers: 3 with known structures-MWW, MFI, and RWR and one unknown, bifer with a unit cell close to ferrierite. The exfoliation into monolayers is confirmed by the combination of 5-6 characterization techniques including AFM, in situ and in-plane XRD, and microscopies. The promising areas of development are oriented films and membranes, intimately mixed zeolite phases, and hierarchical nanoscale composites with other active species like nanoparticles and clusters that are unfeasible by solid state processes.

Controllable deposition of dispersed Pd nanoparticles on ZnO for Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions

Palladium nanoparticles find extensive applications in catalysis in both homogeneously and heterogeneously catalyzed processes. Supporting metal nanoparticles enhances their stability as compared to their unsupported counterparts. The role of catalytic support is increasingly recognized as crucial in determining the behaviour of these materials. However, controlling the deposition and anchoring of palladium nanoparticles remains a significant challenge. This contribution discusses the preparation of straight lines of palladium particles on zinc oxide by wet impregnation. This phenomenon is attributed to the highly stepped morphology of the employed ZnO that created steric anchoring sites to stabilize the metal particles. Palladium-based catalysts were evaluated for the valuable Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction. The dispersed Pd/ZnO catalyst achieved a conversion rate of 86% with 100% selectivity, remarkably superior to that of the Pd/Al2O3 and Pd/TiO2 counterparts.

Breaking Scaling Relations for Highly Efficient Electroreduction of CO2 to CO on Atomically Dispersed Heteronuclear Dual-Atom Catalyst

Conversion of CO2 into value-added products by electrocatalysis provides a promising way to mitigate energy and environmental problems. However, it is greatly limited by the scaling relationship between the adsorption strength of intermediates. Herein, Mn and Ni single-atom catalysts, homonuclear dual-atom catalysts (DACs), and heteronuclear DACs are synthesized. Aberration-corrected annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (ADF-STEM) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy characterization uncovered the existence of the Mn─Ni pair in Mn─Ni DAC. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy reveal that Mn donated electrons to Ni atoms in Mn─Ni DAC. Consequently, Mn─Ni DAC displays the highest CO Faradaic efficiency of 98.7% at -0.7 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (vs RHE) with CO partial current density of 16.8 mA cm-2 . Density functional theory calculations disclose that the scaling relationship between the binding strength of intermediates is broken, resulting in superior performance for ECR to CO over Mn─Ni─NC catalyst.

From crystal phase mixture to pure metal-organic frameworks - Tuning pore and structure properties

In this study, a sonochemical route for the preparation of a new Hf-MIL-140A metal-organic framework from a mixture of UiO-66/MIL-140A is presented. The sonochemical synthesis route not only allows the phase-pure MIL-140A structure to be obtained but also induces structural defects in the MIL-140A structure. The synergic effect between the sonochemical irradiation and the presence of a highly acidic environment results in the generation of slit-like defects in the crystal structure, which increases specific surface area and pore volume. The BET-specific surface area in the case of sonochemically derived Zr-MIL-140A reaches 653.3 m2/g, which is 1.5 times higher than that obtained during conventional synthesis. The developed Hf-MIL-140A structure is isostructural to Zr-MIL-140A, which was confirmed by synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction (SR-XRD) and by continuous rotation electron diffraction (cRED) analysis. The obtained MOF materials have high thermal and chemical stability, which makes them promising candidates for applications such as gas adsorption, radioactive waste removal, catalysis, and drug delivery.

Catching a New Zeolite as a Transition Material during Deconstruction

Zeolites are key materials in both basic research and industrial applications. However, their synthesis is neither diverse nor applicable to labile frameworks because classical procedures require harsh hydrothermal conditions, whereas post-synthesis methods are limited to a few suitable parent materials. Remaining frameworks can fail due to amorphization, dissolution, and other decomposition processes. Nevertheless, stopping degradation at intermediate structures could yield new zeolites. Here, by optimizing the design and synthesis parameters of the parent zeolite IWV, we "caught" a new, highly crystalline, and siliceous zeolite during its degradation. IWV seed-assisted crystallization followed by gentle transformation into the water-alcohol system yielded the highly crystalline daughter zeolite IPC-20, whose structure was solved by precession-assisted three-dimensional electron diffraction. Without additional requirements, as in conventional (direct or post-synthesis) strategies, our approach may be applied to any chemically labile material with a staged structure.

Encapsulating Metal Nanoparticles into a Layered Zeolite Precursor with Surface Silanol Nests Enhances Sintering Resistance

Supported metal nanoparticles are used as heterogeneous catalysts but often deactivated due to sintering at high temperatures. Confining metal species into a porous matrix reduces sintering, yet supports rarely provide additional stabilization. Here, we used the silanol-rich layered zeolite IPC-1P to stabilize ultra-small Rh nanoparticles. By adjusting the IPC-1P interlayer space through swelling, we prepared various architectures, including microporous and disordered mesoporous. In situ scanning transmission electron microscopy confirmed that Rh nanoparticles are resistant to sintering at high temperature (750 °C, 6 hrs). Rh clusters strongly bind to surface silanol quadruplets at IPC-1P layers by hydrogen transfer to clusters, while high silanol density hinders their migration based on density functional theory calculations. Ultimately, combining swelling with long-chain surfactant and utilizing metal-silanol interactions resulted in a novel, catalytically active material-Rh@IPC_C22.

Exfoliating layered zeolite MFI into unilamellar nanosheets in solution as precursors for the synthesis of hierarchical nanocomposites and oriented films

The separation of layered MFI into unilamellar nanosheets in solution confirms the general validity of soft-chemical exfoliation for zeolites and allows top-down production of films with potential applications in separation and catalysis.

Confining Gold Nanoparticles in Preformed Zeolites by Post-Synthetic Modification Enhances Stability and Catalytic Reactivity and Selectivity

Confining Au nanoparticles (NPs) in a restricted space (e.g., zeolite micropores) is a promising way of overcoming their inherent thermal instability and susceptibility to aggregation, which limit catalytic applications. However, such approaches involve complex, multistep encapsulation processes. Here, we describe a successful strategy and its guiding principles for confining small (<2 nm) and monodisperse Au NPs within commercially available beta and MFI zeolites, which can oxidize CO at 40 °C and show size-selective catalysis. This protocol involves post-synthetic modification of the zeolite internal surface with thiol groups, which confines AuCl _x species inside microporous frameworks during the activation process whereby Au precursors are converted into Au nanoparticles. The resulting beta and MFI zeolites contain uniformly dispersed Au NPs throughout the void space, indicating that the intrinsic stability of the framework promotes resistance to sintering. By contrast, in situ scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) studies evidenced that Au precursors in bare zeolites migrate from the matrix to the external surface during activation, thereby forming large and poorly dispersed agglomerates. Furthermore, the resistance of confined Au NPs against sintering is likely relevant to the intrinsic stability of the framework, supported by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), H₂ chemisorption, and CO Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) studies. The Au NPs supported on commercial MFI maintain their uniform dispersity to a large extent after treatment at 700 °C that sinters Au clusters on mesoporous silicas or beta zeolites. Low-temperature CO oxidation and size-selective reactions highlight that most gold NPs are present inside the zeolite matrix with a diameter smaller than 2 nm. These findings illustrate how confinement favors small, uniquely stable, and monodisperse NPs, even for metals such as Au susceptible to cluster growth under conditions often required for catalytic use. Moreover, this strategy may be readily adapted to other zeolite frameworks that can be functionalized by thiol groups.

Sulfur-Decorated Ni-N-C Catalyst for Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction with Near 100 % CO Selectivity

Developing highly efficient electrocatalysts for electrochemical CO₂ reduction (ECR) to value-added products is important for CO₂ conversion and utilization technologies. In this work, a sulfur-doped Ni-N-C catalyst is fabricated through a facile ion-adsorption and pyrolysis treatment. The resulting Ni-NS-C catalyst exhibits higher activity in ECR to CO than S-free Ni-N-C, yielding a current density of 20.5 mA cm^-2 under -0.80 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode (vs. RHE) and a maximum CO faradaic efficiency of nearly 100 %. It also displays excellent stability with negligible activity decay after electrocatalysis for 19 h. A combination of experimental investigations and DFT calculations demonstrates that the high activity and selectivity of ECR to CO is due to a synergistic effect of the S and Ni-N_X moieties. This work provides insights for the design and synthesis of nonmetal atom-decorated M-N-C-based ECR electrocatalysts.

Incremental value of myocardial work in predicting beneficial response to aortic valve replacement in patients with aortic stenosis

 

The predictors of favorable clinical response to aortic valve replacement (AVR) in aortic stenosis (AS) are still insufficiently defined. The increased LV afterload in AS affects the interpretation of the majority of LV systolic indices, which are load-dependent. The estimation of myocardial work (MW) is a newly developed approach, which, allowing correction of global longitudinal strain (GLS) for LV afterload, gives a more adequate insight into the intrinsic LV contractility.

Aim

To investigate whether the assessment of MW can improve the prediction of clinical and neurohormonal improvement post AVR in patients with AS.

Methods

We evaluated 126 patients (75±9 years) with severe AS who underwent transcatheter AVR (n=100) or surgical AVR (n=26). Transthoracic echocardiography, blood sampling and 6 min walk test (6MWT) were performed pre and 3 months post AVR. The following indices of MW were assessed: global work index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW), global wasted work (GWW), global work efficiency (GWE).

Results

Post-AVR changes in the clinical and echocardiographic profile are presented in Table. Post-treatment increase in 6MWT distance was noted in 95 patients, and decrease in NT-proBNP in 94 patients. In multivariable analysis including clinical parameters and echocardiographic indices of cardiac function, morphology and aortic valve hemodynamic, baseline GWW was the only independent echocardiographic predictor of post-AVR improvement in 6MWT distance (beta=−0.24, SE 0.09, p=0.01), whereas baseline GWE was, in addition to tricuspid regurgitation pressure gradient (TRPG) and E/e' ratio, independently associated with the post-AVR decrease in NT-proBNP (beta=0.27, SE 0.09, p=0.004).

Conclusions

In patients with severe AS undergoing AVR, higher values of GWW do not favor post-treatment functional improvement as assessed by 6MWT. The beneficial neurohormonal response to AVR is more pronounced in patients with less efficient LV contraction at baseline.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Sonogashira Synthesis of New Porous Aromatic Framework-Entrapped Palladium Nanoparticles as Heterogeneous Catalysts for Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling

Palladium nanoparticles entrapped in porous aromatic frameworks (PAFs) or covalent organic frameworks may promote heterogeneous catalytic reactions. However, preparing such materials as active nanocatalysts usually requires additional steps for palladium entrapment and reduction. This paper reports as a new approach, a simple procedure leading to the self-entrapment of Pd nanoparticles within the PAF structure. Thus, the selected Sonogashira synthesis affords PAF-entrapped Pd nanoparticles that can catalyze the C-C Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions. Following this new concept, PAFs were synthesized via Sonogashira cross-coupling of the tetraiodurated derivative of tetraphenyladamantane or spiro-9,9'-bifluorene with 1,6-diethynylpyrene, then characterized them using powder X-ray diffraction, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, and textural properties (i.e., adsorption-desorption isotherms). The PAF-entrapped Pd nanocatalysts showed high catalytic activity in Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reactions (demonstrated by preserving the turnover frequency values) and stability (demonstrated by palladium leaching and recycling experiments). This new approach presents a new class of PAFs with unique structural, topological, and compositional complexities as entrapped metal nanocatalysts or for other diverse applications.

Modified reverse ADOR assembles Al-rich UTL zeolite from IPC-1P layers

Extra-large pore zeolites clear the way for the synthesis of fine chemicals and bulky compounds unable to enter the channels of medium- and large-pore zeolites.

Post-Synthesis Functionalization Enables Fine-Tuning the Molecular-Sieving Properties of Zeolites for Light Olefin/Paraffin Separations

Zeolite molecular sieves are widely used in gas separation and shape-selective catalysis, but these applications often require discriminating differences as little as 0.1 Å. Molecular sieving with such size selectivity demands zeolites with highly tunable pore diameters and adsorption properties, which are technically challenging to prepare. Nevertheless, it is shown that a wide range of organic functional groups can be covalently functionalized onto the interior pore walls of the zeolites, MOR, LTL, FAU, and MFI, to systematically "tune" their effective pore diameters with respect to the size of organic groups. For organic functionalization, small and aggressive organic electrophiles are used (e.g., organo-halide and -diazonium) as grafting agents, which are accessible to the intracrystalline void space, forming a C-O_zeolite bond in a reaction with a bridging oxygen as proved by multiple analysis data. It is demonstrated that the post-functionalization can be used to tailor the molecular sieving action of a parent zeolite to give size-selective adsorbents for light olefin/paraffin separations. 4-Methoxybenzene-functionalized MOR separates ethylene from ethane with an ideal-adsorbed-solution-theory selectivity of ≈5873, whereas toluene-grafted MOR completely separates propylene/propane mixtures. Therefore, tailoring the molecular-sieving properties of zeolites by organic functionalization broadens their applications to challenging separations.

Correction: Poly(acrylic acid)-mediated synthesis of cerium oxide nanoparticles with variable oxidation states and their effect on regulating the intracellular ROS level

Correction for 'Poly(acrylic acid)-mediated synthesis of cerium oxide nanoparticles with variable oxidation states and their effect on regulating the intracellular ROS level' by Xiaohui Ju et al., J. Mater. Chem. B, 2021, 9, 7386-7400, DOI: 10.1039/D1TB00706H.

Long term outcomes of a coordinate care program in patients after myocardial infarction (KOS-MI)

Introduction

Despite significant progress in treatment of myocardial infarction (MI), the annual mortality remains a challenge. Since 2017, The Coordinated Care in Myocardial Infarction Program (KOS-MI) has been introduced in Poland, which guarantees and coordinates patients to achieve complete revascularization, electrotherapy when necessary, cardiac rehabilitation and access to cardiologist for patients after MI.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to assess long term outcomes (3-year follow-up) of patients enrolled in KOS-MI.

Methods

This is a prospective multicenter registry of 1973 consecutive patients with myocardial infarction hospitalized in 4 centers of American Heart of Poland from 11.2017 to 11.2018. Patients which constituted a study group were enrolled in KOS-MI program at discharge. A control group consisted patients who received standard of care. Propensity score matching was utilized for patients baseline characteristic matching and results adjustment. Follow-up was obtained from the National Health Fund registry citizens. Combine endpoint of MACCE consisted of death, MI, stroke and repeated revascularization.

Results

In total 753 patients were enrolled in KOS program and 1173 constituted a control group. More than 90% of patients in both groups underwent PCI. Patients in KOS-MI were mostly men (70% vs. 65%; p&lt;0,05), were younger (65 vs. 68; p&lt;0,05), admitted with STEMI (44,8% vs. 37,5%; p&lt;0,05) with previous history of heart failure (23% vs. 17%; p&lt;0,05). Patients in the control group had more comorbidities: chronic kidney disease (9,8% vs. 4,4%; p&lt;0,05), previous AMI (17,6% vs. 12,6%; p&lt;0,05), prior PCI (15,7% vs. 11%; p&lt;0,05) and atrial fibrillation (11,7% vs. 8,4%; p&lt;0,05). They were more often admitted with NSTEMI (62,5% vs. 55,3%; p&lt;0,05) and acute heart failure (4,7% vs. 2,7%; p&lt;0,05). KOS patients had more often completed revascularization performed (50% vs. 33,4%; p&lt;0,05). Following propensity score matching 576 pairs were matched, and patient baseline characteristic were well balanced in all variables.

In long- term follow-up (mean 2,8±0,27 years) mortality was significantly lower in KOS group (9% vs. 16,3%; p&lt;0,05) and MI similar (10,8% vs. 13,1%; p=0,14). MACCE was higher in the control group (43% vs. 30,2%; p&lt;0,05). Prevalence of hospitalization for HF and repeated revascularization was higher in the control group (14,7% vs. 9,4%; p&lt;0,05 and 27,9% vs. 21%; p&lt;0,05, respectively). After adjustment MACCE remained significantly lower for KOS-MI, whereas there was tendency for lower mortality, hospitalization for HF and repeated revascularizations (Figure 1).

Conclusions

Combination and coordination of unrestricted rehabilitation, complete revascularization, electrotherapy and ambulatory cardiologist care in the KOS-MI program improves long term prognosis in patients after MI.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None. Figure 1

Risk Management for a Legally Valid Informed Consent

ABSTRACT

Gelli-Bianco law (Law no. 24/2017) intervenes both in order to divide healthcare liability between the healthcare professional and the facility in which he/she exercises and to incentivize the latter to adopt an organizational model suitable for managing the risk associated with the provision of any healthcare service, including the information for consent. In fact, the healthcare facility must guarantee clear, complete and adequate information on the specific case, which, therefore, cannot consist of standard forms to be signed by the patient, under penalty of a flawed consent to treatment and consequent healthcare liability in the event of an adverse event. The regulation mandates that safety must be guaranteed through proper prevention tools and health care risk management, in con-junction with the most effective use of structural, technological and organizational resources available. It further spells out the obligation of health care professionals to contribute to risk prevention while administering health care procedures. For this reason, the consent information constitutes a source of risk for the responsibility of the healthcare provider and the Facility and it must necessarily be managed. Risk Management is the management tool that can allow the healthcare facility to improve the quality and safety of the services provided, optimizing the risk of adverse events through proper moni-toring of the same. This paper will be published, following a special agreement, on the two journals "Igiene e Sanità Pubblica" and "La Clinica Tera-peutica", in Italian and in English, in order to increase the diffusion to a wider audience.

Poly(acrylic acid)-mediated synthesis of cerium oxide nanoparticles with variable oxidation states and their effect on regulating the intracellular ROS level

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeNPs) possess multiple redox enzyme mimetic activities in scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a potential biomedicine. These enzymatic activities of CeNPs are closely related to their surface oxidation state. Here we have reported a synthetic method to modify CeNPs' surface oxidation state by changing the conformation of the poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) polymers adsorbed onto the CeNP surface. The synthesized PAA-CeNPs exhibited the same core size, morphology, crystal structure, and colloidal stability, with the only variation being their surface oxidation state (Ce³⁺ percentage). The modification mechanism can be attributed to the polymers chemisorbed onto the metal oxide surface forming a metal complexation structure. Such adsorption further modified CeNPs' surface oxidation state in a temperature-dependent manner. The series of PAA-CeNPs exhibited multiple redox enzyme mimetic activities (superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, and oxidase) directly related to their surface oxidation state. In vitro experiments showed no cytotoxic effect of these PAA-CeNPs on the osteoblastic cell line SAOS-2 at high loadings. Microscopic images confirmed the internalization of PAA-CeNPs in the cells. All tested PAA-CeNPs can reduce the basal and hydrogen peroxide-induced intracellular ROS level in the cells, indicating their effective intracellular ROS scavenging effect. However, we did not observe a positive correlation between the CeNP surface oxidation state and their capacities to reduce the intracellular ROS levels. We propose that CeNPs can maintain a dynamic state of Ce³⁺/Ce⁴⁺ during their catalytic activities, exhibiting a non-linear correlation between the CeNP surface oxidation state and their effect on regulating the intracellular ROS level.

Exfoliated Ferrierite-Related Unilamellar Nanosheets in Solution and Their Use for Preparation of Mixed Zeolite Hierarchical Structures

Direct exfoliation of layered zeolites into solutions of monolayers has remained unresolved since the 1990s. Recently, zeolite MCM-56 with the MWW topology (layers denoted mww) has been exfoliated directly in high yield by soft-chemical treatment with tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAOH). This has enabled preparation of zeolite-based hierarchical materials and intimate composites with other active species that are unimaginable via the conventional solid-state routes. The extension to other frameworks, which provides broader benefits, diversified activity, and functionality, is not routine and requires finding suitable synthesis formulations, viz. compositions and conditions, of the layered zeolites themselves. This article reports exfoliation and characterization of layers with ferrierite-related structure, denoted bifer, having rectangular lattice constants like those of the FER and CDO zeolites, and thickness of approximately 2 nm, which is twice that of the so-called fer layer. Several techniques were combined to prove the exfoliation, supported by simulations: AFM; in-plane, in situ, and powder X-ray diffraction; TEM; and SAED. The results confirmed (i) the structure and crystallinity of the layers without unequivocal differentiation between the FER and CDO topologies and (ii) uniform thickness in solution (monodispersity), ruling out significant multilayered particles and other impurities. The bifer layers are zeolitic with Brønsted acid sites, demonstrated catalytic activity in the alkylation of mesitylene with benzyl alcohol, and intralayer pores visible in TEM. The practical benefits are demonstrated by the preparation of unprecedented intimately mixed zeolite composites with the mww, with activity greater than the sum of the components despite high content of inert silica as pillars.

A computed tomography comprehensive evaluation of the ostium of the sphenoid sinus and its clinical significance

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the size of the sphenoid sinuses' ostia, the distance between them and the distance between the medial margin of the ostia and the median line in the Polish adult population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The analysis was undertaken as a retrospective study of 296 computed tomography (CT) scans of patients (147 females, 149 males) with no comorbidities in their sphenoid sinuses. The paranasal sinuses were investigated by using Spiral CT Scanner (Siemens Somatom Sensation 16), in the option Siemens CARE Dose 4D, without administering any contrast medium. Having obtained transverse planes, multiplans reconstruction tool was used in order to glean sagittal and frontal planes.

RESULTS

The average size of both sphenoid sinuses ostia was 0.31 cm for both genders (for females ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 cm and from 0.1 to 0.6 cm for males). The mean distance between both sphenoid sinuses ostia was 0.6 cm for both genders (the range for females was 0.1-1.4 cm, whereas 0.1-1.8 cm for males). The average distance between the medial margin of the ostium and the median line was 0.32 cm for both genders (0.31 cm for females in the range of 0-0.9 cm and 0.32 cm for males in the range of 0-1 cm).

CONCLUSIONS

Intraoperative identification of the sphenoid sinus ostia might prove difficult and their inadequate excision could lead to potential iatrogenic complications, hence detailed anatomical descriptions are still warranted in specific populations in order to perform safe and effective procedures.

Controlled Synthesis of Large Single Crystals of Metal-Organic Framework CPO-27-Ni Prepared by a Modulation Approach: In situ Single-Crystal X-ray Diffraction Studies

The size of single crystals of the metal-organic framework CPO-27-Ni was incrementally increased through a series of modulated syntheses. A novel linker modulated synthesis using 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalic acid and the isomeric ligand 4,6-dihydroxyisophthalic acid yielded large single crystals of CPO-27-Ni (∼70 μm). All materials were shown to have high crystallinity and phase purity through powder X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy methods, thermogravimetry, and compositional analysis. For the first time single-crystal structure analyses were carried out on CPO-27-Ni. High BET surface areas and nitric oxide (NO) release efficiencies were recorded for all materials. Large single crystals of CPO-27-Ni showed a prolonged NO release and proved suitable for in situ single-crystal diffraction experiments to follow the NO adsorption. An efficient activation protocol was developed, leading to a dehydrated structure after just 4 h, which subsequently was NO-loaded, leading to a first NO loaded single-crystal structural model of CPO-27-Ni.

AB0601 COMPARISON OF THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT PHYSICAL THERAPY PROGRAM IN THE REHABILITATION OF KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS PATIENTS

Background:

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is an increasingly common and disabling problem in worldwide. Exercises are considered the cornerstone of non-surgical management of knee OA and is recommended in all current clinical guidelines. The diversity of exercise programs determines the need to compare their efficiency, in order to recommend the best option for the patient.

Objectives:

The aim of the present study was to compare the effect on knee functionality of conventional exercises program and combinate with manual therapy in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Methods:

164 patients that fulfilled the ACR classification criteria for knee osteoarthritis (127 females and 37 males) ranging in age from 42 to 84 years (mean 62,2 SD 8,76), participated in a 10 days two-arm randomized trial. One group (Gr.1) received an exercises program, the other group additionally manual therapy methods (Gr.2). Pain and function were measured with a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS, mm) and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcomes Score (KOOS) with 5 domains (Pain, Symptoms, Activity in Daily Living (ADL), Sport and recreation (Sport/rec.) and Quality of life (QoL)).

Results:

In the Gr.1 were 82 patients mean age 61,8±9,2 years and in Gr.2 – 82 patients 62,7±8,3 years (p>0.05). The initial level of pain (63,4±14,2 vs 60,2±18,8mm) and knee functionality according to KOOS (Tab1.) were similar in both groups, p>0.05. After 10 days rehabilitation program, VAS in Gr.1 was 39,6±14,8 mm, in Gr.2- 28,5±11,6 mm, (p<0.01). The KOOS results at the end of the rehabilitation program were with improvement, statistically significative in the Gr.2 (p<0,05).

Table 1.

The KOOS results at baseline and after 10 days of rehabilitation program.

KOOS scales(M±SD), %Group 1Group 2BaselineAfter 10 daysBaselineAfter 10 daysPain55,5 ±13,863,4±13,653,0±22,364,3±19,1Symptoms59,0±18,765,6±18,156,6±19,069,0±15,9ADL46,3±15,554,5±16,043,0±19,955,1±18,2Sport/rec15,6±17,323,1±19,616,0±24,330,5±23,6QoL29,3±22,236,5± 22,934,8±23,950,6±18,9

Conclusion:

The reduction of pain and recovery of function were found in both groups, with better results in patients who received manual therapy and exercises program. This study supports the routine manual therapy in rehabilitation program in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared.

Risk management and Healthcare responsibility. How to guarantee legal protection in Medicine

Having regard to the increasing attention to the issue of safety and health of patients and workers by low, the hypothesis that this topic will be the growing trend in the next years does not seem to be manifestly unfounded. For this reason, it is wise for healthcare professionals to already be aware that any violation of the interests underlying the legislation in question entails a ruling on civil and/or criminal liability. It is therefore necessary to identify the most suitable means to prevent undue harm occurring, partly to exempt healthcare professionals and hospitals from compensation costs, thereby providing them with recourse to insurance coverage. Healthcare facility organisations must adopt Risk Management techniques as a tool to simultaneously guarantee the effectiveness of health services (in this case), the efficiency of the management economy, and finally compliance with all legally required precautions. This will relegate the occurrence of an adverse event to remote and unpredictable hypotheses, thus guaranteeing useful recourse to insurance coverage to compensate any harm that does occur.

Anatomical variations of the superficial ulnar artery: case series observed on historical specimens prepared by Ludwik Karol Teichmann

BACKGROUND

In this report we present a series of cases representing variant origin and course of the ulnar artery, namely the superficial ulnar artery, observed during the review of collection of historical specimens prepared in the 19th century by the prominent Polish anatomist Ludwik Karol Teichmann and his collaborators, exhibited in the Anatomy Museum of Jagiellonian University Medical College.

RESULTS

Three distinct variants of the superficial ulnar artery were found on anatomical specimens of the upper limb with arteries injected by using Teichmann's method. In case No. 1, the superficial ulnar artery originated from the brachial artery slightly above the interepicondylar line of the humerus. This aberrant vessel gave off the common interosseous artery in the upper half of the cubital fossa and then ran superficially to the bicipital aponeurosis and over the muscles arising from the medial epicondyle of the humerus. The cases No. 2 and 3 involved two similar variants of the superficial artery in which the common interosseous artery arose from the radial artery. In the unique case No. 4, the superficial ulnar artery arose from the radial artery.

CONCLUSIONS

The superficial ulnar artery shows diverse anatomy regarding its topography and blood supply territory. Orthopedic, hand, and plastic surgeons should be aware of anatomic variations of the SUA both in planning and in conducting surgeries of the upper limb.

Challenges in diagnosing and managing non-cavitated occlusal caries lesions. A Literature overview and a report of a case

AIM

Aim of this literature overview was to analyze the diagnostic procedures of hidden caries lesions and to present a restorative protocol.

METHODS

A literature overview was performed in order to evaluate hidden caries etiological hypothesis and the reported prevalence. The diagnostic procedure is performed with the aid of an intra-oral fluorescence based camera and the restorative procedure is completed with the use of a novel bisphenol-A free composite.

RESULTS

Non cavitated occlusal caries lesions prevalence is high in young adults population. Diagnosis of hidden caries requires both high sensitivity and specificity.

CONCLUSIONS

The novel diagnostic and restorative protocol showed to be highly effective in hidden caries assessment and restoration.

The dimensions of the sphenoid sinuses: evaluation before the functional endoscopic sinus surgery

BACKGROUND

The following study aimed to evaluate the dimensions (anteroposterior, transverse and vertical) of the sphenoid sinuses in the adult population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was conducted as a retrospective analysis of the computed tomography (CT) scans of the paranasal sinuses of 296 patients (147 females and 149 males), who did not present any pathology in the sphenoid sinuses. The CT scans of the paranasal sinuses were done with the spiral CT scanner, without using any contrast medium. After obtaining transverse planes, frontal and sagittal planes were created using secondary reconstruction tool.

RESULTS

The anteroposterior dimension was found to be 2.65 cm on average, in the range of 0.5-4.3 cm. The transverse dimension was on average 1.98 cm, ranging from 0.5 cm to 4.9 cm. The average vertical dimension was found to be 2.1 cm, in the range of 0.7-3.7 cm.

CONCLUSIONS

Due to the high incidence of the anatomical variants of the paranasal sinuses, a CT scan is recommended in all patients before a planned surgery in order to avoid the potential iatrogenic complications. Dimensions of the sphenoid sinuses might point towards more at risk variants, but there is still a substantial amount of research that needs to be done in that aspect.

AB1316-HPR COMORBIDITIES IMPACT ON PHYSICAL REHABILITATION PROGRAM OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS

Background:

Physical rehabilitation is proposed as a method of non-pharmacological treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA) by the EULAR and OARSI recommendations. At the same time, presence of concomitant diseases could influence the condition of patients and the outcomes of the rehabilitation program.

Objectives:

To evaluate the frequency of comorbidities in OA patients and to appreciate their impact on outcomes of the physical rehabilitation program.

Methods:

A prospective control case study was conducted in the University Rehabilitation Center. The patients underwent clinical examination, VAS scale was used to assess level of pain, and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) with 5 domains (Pain, Symptoms, ADL, Sport, QoL) for joint function assessment. These parameters were evaluated at the onset of the program (T0) and at the end of the 10th day (T1). Medical data records, general clinical exam and Charlson Comorbidities Index (CCI) assessed the comorbidities.

Results:

48 patients with OA were included in the study, 37 patients of them were found with comorbidities. The most frequent associated diseases were: cardiovascular- 76.6%, obesity-59.9%, and endocrine - 12.9% cases. At T0, significantly lower levels in the group with comorbidities were identified on the domains Pain, Sport and QoL. The CCI in patients with comorbidities was 3.29 ± 0.14 points (82.1% for 1-year survival rate). At the T1 moment, we found an improvement in joint functionality in both groups. The mean value of the VAS score group of patients without comorbidities decreased from 48,18 mm to 21,36 mm (p <0.05) and for the group of patients with comorbidities – 64,2 at / 36,2 mm (p<0.001). Significant improvement in joint function in the comorbidities group was in Pain (p <0.01), Sport (p <0.05) and Qol (p <0.01) domains, at the same in patients without comorbidities, the improvement was significant in all 5 domains.

Conclusion:

Comorbidities are highly associated to knee osteoarthritis and prove to have a negative influence on the results of the physical rehabilitation program; therefore, we would recommend to apply individualized rehabilitation programs adapted to the associated conditions of each patient.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

SAT0232 PERCEPTION OF THE DISEASE IN PATIENTS WITH EARLY SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

Background:

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease with a major impact on patient’s quality of life.

Objectives:

To evaluate patient’s attitude toward early disease and factors that influence it.

Methods:

Performed case-control study included SLE patients that fulfilled SLICC, 2012 classification criteria. The research included two groups of patients: early SLE – 1stgroup (disease duration ≤24 months) and non-early SLE – 2ndgroup control (disease duration >24 months). The pattern of the disease activity was assessed by patient global assessment (PGA), Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) and Systemic Lupus Activity Measure (SLAM), for SLE activity, SLICC/ACR Damage Index (DI) for disease irreversible changes and SF-8 for the Quality of Life (QoL).

Results:

A total of 101 SLE patients with 34 in the 1stgroup (early SLE) and 67 in the 2ndgroup (non-early SLE) was analyzed. The disease activity showed high disease activity in both groups by SLEDAI (7,02±4,16 and 6,26±4,43 points, p>0,05) and SLAM (7,47±4,40 and 7,31±4,10 points, p>0,05) such as (46,97±19,39 vs 47,98±22,41 points). The QoL was appreciated as low, by both components (mental and physical), in groups. The damage index was higher in the 2nd group (0,23±0,43 and 1,07±1,29, p<0,001), which can be explained by the development of irreversible changes with the increase of disease duration.

The PGA in early SLE was influenced by subjective symptoms contained in SLAM index (r=0,48, p<0,05), such as fatigue and depression, and the level of the quality of life (r=0,65, p<0,001). Meantime, PGA in patients with longer disease duration (>2 years), was influenced by the presence of organ damage by SLICC/ACR DI (0,23, p<0,05) and objective findings of the disease activity contained in SLEDAI (r=0,33, p<0,005) and SLAM (0,44, p<0,001).

Conclusion:

The disease recognition in patients with early SLE was determined by subjective and psycho-emotional signs, while in patients with longer disease duration it was influenced by organ damage and complications.

References:

no references

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

AB0360 EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF THE PROSTAGLANDIN EP4 RECEPTOR ANTAGONIST CR6086 ADDED TO METHOTREXATE IN DMARD-NAÏVE EARLY RA PATIENTS: A PHASE 2 RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Background:

MTX is the first line treatment in early RA. There is robust evidence from cohort studies, but less from RCTs, that a “window of opportunity” exists over 12-16 weeks symptom duration. CR6086 is a selective prostaglandin EP4 receptor antagonist, with an immunomodulatory profile.

Objectives:

To test efficacy and safety of CR6086 added to MTX in early RA, DMARD-naïve patients.

Methods:

Patients with RA (ACR/EULAR 2010 criteria), < 1 year from symptom onset and naïve to DMARDs were randomized to oral CR6086 30, 90, 180mg, or placebo bid and oral MTX (20mg weekly) for 13 weeks (NCT03163966). Primary endpoint was the ACR20 response rate: 240 patients were needed to detect a difference among groups, with 50% responders on placebo and 70% on the 90mg CR6086 target dose. Pairwise comparisons of proportions were performed, with nonresponder imputation for withdrawals. A subgroup of patients underwent dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI for quantification of synovitis at MCP and wrist joints, evaluated as DEMRIQ-ME and DEMRIQ-vol.

Results:

The ITT population included all 244 randomized patients receiving at least one dose of study drugs (59 CR6086 30mg/MTX, 60 CR6086 90mg/MTX, 63 CR6086 180mg/MTX, 62 placebo/MTX). Safety was good with no increased rate of infections or other disorders; however, there were more minor upper GI adverse events (AEs) with CR6086, and increased dropouts due to AEs with the 180mg dose (9/63, 14.3% vs 1.7-3.4% in other groups). There were more ACR20 responders with MTX monotherapy than predicted (59.7%) and thus the 10.3% difference with the 90mg target dose (70.0%) was not significant. The low 30mg dose was no better than placebo (55.9%), while the high 180mg dose did not provide additional benefit compared with 90mg (74.0% net of dropouts). CR6086 90mg and 180mg induced a significant improvement in MRI, compared with placebo (Fig. 1). In a post-hoc analysis in patients < 6 months from symptom onset (ACR definition of early RA: 98/244, 40.2%), MTX monotherapy exerted a large 76% ACR20 response rate that precluded potentiation. Conversely, in patients of 6-12 months disease duration (146/244, 59.8%) ACR20 responders were 48.6% with MTX monotherapy vs 68.4% with 90mg, i.e. a 19.8% difference as postulated, with proportional differences in secondary endpoints (Tab. 1).

Conclusion:

There was no benefit demonstrated for CR6086 added to MTX in the study cohort as a whole. However, in a post-hoc analysis, enhanced responses were observed with CR6086 90mg bid added to MTX in patients >6 months disease duration. This generated the hypothesis that addition of CR6086 90mg bid may benefit in RA patients initiating MTX after the window of opportunity, to be tested in further studies.

Table 1.

Patient characteristics & pregnancy outcomes

Symptom onset <12 months(principal analysis)Symptom onset 6-12 months(post-hoc analysis)*Placebo+MTX(N=62)CR6086 90mg+MTX(N=60)Placebo+MTX(N=37)CR6086 90mg+MTX(N=38)ACR20, %59.7%70.0%48.6%68.4%ACR50, %33.9%38.3%29.7%39.5%ACR70, %17.7%23.3%10.8%28.9%DAS28 (CRP) <2.6, %12.9%20.0%8.1%18.4%CDAI ≤2.8, %8.1%11.7%5.4%15.8%SDAI ≤3.3, %6.5%10.0%2.7%15.8%Boolean-based remission, %6.5%6.7%2.7%10.5%

*In patients with symptom onset <6 months, MTX monotherapy exerted a large 76% ACR20 response, and correspondingly high secondary efficacy parameters, precluding potentiation in this subset

Figure 1.

Change in MRI (DEMRIQ-ME#) after 13 weeks

Disclosure of Interests:

Karel Pavelka Consultant of: Abbvie, MSD, BMS, Egis, Roche, UCB, Medac, Pfizer, Biogen, Speakers bureau: Abbvie, MSD, BMS, Egis, Roche, UCB, Medac, Pfizer, Biogen, Ivanova Delina2 Delina: None declared, Minodora Mazur: None declared, Massimo D’Amato Employee of: Rottapharm Biotech, GIAMPAOLO GIACOVELLI Employee of: Rottapharm Biotech, Federica Girolami Employee of: Rottapharm Biotech, Marek Krogulec: None declared, René Østgård: None declared, Asger Reinstrup Bihlet Shareholder of: Nordic Bioscience A/S., Olga Kubassova Shareholder of: IAG, Image Analysis Group, Consultant of: Novartis, Takeda, Lilly, Employee of: IAG, Image Analysis Group, Lucio Rovati Shareholder of: Rottapharm Biotech, Employee of: Rottapharm Biotech, Peter C. Taylor Grant/research support from: Celgene, Eli Lilly and Company, Galapagos, and Gilead, Consultant of: AbbVie, Biogen, Eli Lilly and Company, Fresenius, Galapagos, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Nordic Pharma, Pfizer Roche, and UCB

Oral health in a cohort of individuals on a plant-based diet: a pilot study

INTRODUCTION

Plant-based diets are associated with a lower: (i) body mass index, (ii) rates of death from ischemic heart disease, (iii) serum cholesterol, (iv) incidence of high blood pressure, (v) type II diabetes mellitus and cancer, with an overall longer life expectancy. However, little data concerning the oral health in individuals on a plant-based diet are available.

AIM

The aim of the present study was to investigate the general and clinical oral health status in a cohort of adults who had been following a plant-based diet for a minimum of 24 months.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

For this purpose, individuals were administered two questionnaires (a.Questionnaire investigating risk areas for oral diseases; b. Italian version of the Oral Health Impact Profile -14 (IOHIP-14)) by a dental hygienist and clinical examination of the oral cavity was carried out.

RESULTS

Seventy-seven adult individuals were enrolled. On average, they followed a plant-based diet for the last four years, had four meals a day and brushed their teeth twice a day. Fruit was the most frequently consumed food at breakfast by 48 of the participants. Thirty-four responders did not drink beer or wine, 65 did not drink spirits, 57 avoided carbonated beverages and 62 (80.5%) did not consume any highly-sugared beverages. Different dental therapies in the previous three years were reported in 36 of the responders. Overall, answers "never and almost never" to the IOHIP-14 questionnaire were observed in 87% to 100% of the individuals. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that fresh fruit consumption at lunch had a protective effect against caries (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, this study showed that individuals on a plant-based diet have good overall oral health conditions. These features are in agreement with the behavior of these subjects towards an overall healthy life style.

Exfoliation of layered mixed zirconium 4-sulfophenylphosphonate phenylphosphonates

Mixed zirconium 4-sulfophenylphosphonate phenylphosphonates with formulae Zr(HO3SC6H4PO3)1.8(C6H5PO3)0.2·2.6H2O, Zr(HO3SC6H4PO3)1.3(C6H5PO3)0.7·2H2O, and Zr(HO3SC6H4PO3)0.7(C6H5PO3)1.3·3.6H2O (generally, ZrSPhP) were intercalated with a series of amino alcohols, H2N(CH2)nOH, where n = 2 to 6, and triethylamine. It was found that in the case of amino alcohols the basal spacing of the intercalates increases linearly with n. The intercalates prepared can be exfoliated either by sonication or by the action of high-shear forces. The use of a high-shear force disperser is a more efficient exfoliation method, as it provides lamellas with larger lateral dimensions in a much shorter time. It was found that amino alcohols provide roughly the same results regardless of the length of their carbon chain. As follows from atomic force microscopy measurements, triethylamine is the most appropriate exfoliation agent for ZrSPhP as it produces platelets with the largest lateral size and the lowest amount of defects.

Liquid dispersions of zeolite monolayers with high catalytic activity prepared by soft-chemical exfoliation

The most effective approach to practical exploitation of the layered solids that often have unique valuable properties-such as graphene, clays, and other compounds-is by dispersion into colloidal suspensions of monolayers, called liquid exfoliation. This fundamentally expected behavior can be used to deposit monolayers on supports or to reassemble into hierarchical materials to produce, by design, catalysts, nanodevices, films, drug delivery systems, and other products. Zeolites have been known as extraordinary catalysts and sorbents with three-dimensional structures but emerged as an unexpected new class of layered solids contributing previously unknown valuable features: catalytically active layers with pores inside or across. The self-evident question of layered zeolite exfoliation has remained unresolved for three decades. Here, we report the first direct exfoliation of zeolites into suspension of monolayers as proof of the concept, which enables diverse applications including membranes and hierarchical catalysts with improved access.

New theory of acoustic signal detection in the inner ear - An explanation of bifilar structure of the cochlea

In this work a new theory of acoustic signal detection in the inner ear and an experimental explanation of the causes of bifilar cochlear structure was presented. Our innovative approach describes sound detection in a completely different way from the one currently adopted. It requires analyzing the inner ear system in the form of a bent spiral and assuming that perilymph in such a small system behaves like a non-Newtonian fluid. The necessity of analyzing the system in the form of a bifilar spiral results from the need to compensate the head movements, so far omitted in the analysis. We suggest that the construction and the role of the oval window and the stapes are different than just a simple piston that converts mechanical signals to hydrokinetic ones. Stapes provides uniform distribution of the hydrokinetic signal in the spiral cochlear system, and the conversion of momentum to angular momentum creates a force perpendicular to the vestibular membrane, which causes the effect of its deflection, what has not yet been explained.

Vapour-phase-transport rearrangement technique for the synthesis of new zeolites

Owing to the significant difference in the numbers of simulated and experimentally feasible zeolite structures, several alternative strategies have been developed for zeolite synthesis. Despite their rationality and originality, most of these techniques are based on trial-and-error, which makes it difficult to predict the structure of new materials. Assembly-Disassembly-Organization-Reassembly (ADOR) method overcoming this limitation was successfully applied to a limited number of structures with relatively stable crystalline layers (UTL, UOV, *CTH). Here, we report a straightforward, vapour-phase-transport strategy for the transformation of IWW zeolite with low-density silica layers connected by labile Ge-rich units into material with new topology. In situ XRD and XANES studies on the mechanism of IWW rearrangement reveal an unusual structural distortion-reconstruction of the framework throughout the process. Therefore, our findings provide a step forward towards engineering nanoporous materials and increasing the number of zeolites available for future applications.

Assembly-Disassembly-Organization-Reassembly (ADOR) is a valuable method to prepare zeolites of predictable topologies, but has yet to be successfully applied on open framework zeolites. Here, the authors show that non-contact vapour-phase-transport rearrangement allows access to new zeolite topologies from open framework zeolites.

Four years of African swine fever in Poland. New insights into epidemiology and prognosis of future disease spread

Four and a half years of African Swine Fever (ASF) in population of free-ranging wild boars and domestic pigs revealed a number of novel insights into the disease epidemiology. Until No- vember 20th, 2018, in total 3048 cases in wild boars and 213 outbreaks in domestic pigs have been confirmed. In spite of low contagiosity as well as low rate of ASF spread in wild boars the disease has an enormous socio-economical impact on the production of pigs in Poland. One of the most important aspects which directly influences the dynamics of ASF spread is the unpredictable hu- man activity. Another important factor responsible for continuous ASF spread is fast recovery of wild boar population in spite of efforts taken by hunters. Assuming our scientific opinion ASF seems to be present in wildlife for the incoming few or several years. Therefore, extraordinary measures should be prepared and undertaken to limit the risk of the occurrence of future out- breaks in domestic pigs. One of the most crucial issues is implementation of strict biosecurity measures in all domestic pigs holdings.

Effects of controlled physical activity on immune cell phenotype in peripheral blood in prehypertension - studies in preclinical model and randomised crossover study

Hypertension (HT) is a global public health issue. There are many behavioural risk factors including unhealthy diet, tobacco use and alcohol consumption as well physical inactivity that contribute to the development of high blood pressure (BP) and its complications. Favourable effect of regular physical activity on treatment or prevention of hypertension by improvement of endothelial function is widely accepted however little is known about its relationship with immune system. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the role of moderate regular physical activity on immune cell phenotype. T cell and monocyte subsets were characterised in 31 subjects with prehypertension (130 - 139 mmHg systolic and 85 - 89 mmHg diastolic blood pressure) who participated in moderate training (3 times/week) on cyclometers for 3 months in crossover study design. Complementary study was performed in murine model of Ang II-induced hypertension and ten-week-old animals were trained on a treadmill (5 times/week, 1 hour) for 2 weeks before and 1.5 weeks after minipumps implantation. In the context of elevated blood pressure regular physical activity had modest influence on immune cell phenotype. Both in human study and murine model we did not observe effects of applied exercise that can explain the mechanism of BP reduction after short-term regular training. Twelve-weeks regular training did not affect the activation status of T lymphocytes measured as expression of CD69, CD25 and CCR5 in human study. Physical activity resulted in higher expression of adhesion molecule CD11c on CD16+ monocytes (especially CD14 high) without any changes in leukocytes subpopulation counts. Similar results were observed in murine model of hypertension after the training. However the training caused significant decrease of CCR5 and CD25 expressions (measured as a mean fluorescence intensity) on CD8+ T cells infiltrating perivascular adipose tissue. Our studies show modest regulatory influence of moderate training on inflammatory markers in prehypertensive subjects and murine model of Ang II induced hypertension.

Kinetics and Mechanism of the Hydrolysis and Rearrangement Processes within the Assembly-Disassembly-Organization-Reassembly Synthesis of Zeolites

The hydrolysis (disassembly, D) and rearrangement (organization, O) steps of the assembly–disassembly–organization–reassembly (ADOR) process for the synthesis of zeolites have been studied. Germanium-rich UTL was subjected to hydrolysis conditions in water to understand the effects of temperature (100, 92, 85, 81, 77, and 70 °C). Samples were taken periodically over an 8–37 h period, and each sample was analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction. The results show that the hydrolysis step is solely dependent on the presence of liquid water, whereas the rearrangement is dependent on the temperature of the system. The kinetics have been investigated using the Avrami–Erofeev model. With increasing temperature, an increase in the rate of reaction for the rearrangement step was observed, and the Arrhenius equation was used to ascertain an apparent activation energy for the rearrangement from the kinetic product of the disassembly (IPC-1P) to the thermodynamic product of the rearrangement (IPC-2P). From this information, a mechanism for this transformation can be postulated.

Controlled aerobic training improves endothelial function and modifies vascular remodeling in healthy adults with high normal blood pressure

The aim of the study was to assess endothelial function in adults with high normal blood pressure (HNBP) undergoing controlled aerobic training. The study was conducted among 31 volunteers with HNBP. Subjects underwent supervised cycle ergometer training for 12 weeks. Exercise intensity was assessed by monitoring the pulse with intention to keep the heart rate increase within the range of 40% to 65% of the heart rate reserve. The control group consisted of 14 healthy adults, not subjected to any intervention. The control group was examined twice at 12-week intervals (non-exercising time control). Vascular endothelial function was determined by flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and by measuring total nitric oxide products (NOx). The measurement of carotid intima-media complex thickness (IMT) was an indirect method of assessing vascular remodeling. Blood pressure (ABPM method), anthropological parameters and lipid profile were also assessed. There was a significant change in FMD after 3-month training in the study group: the average FMD training was 5.21 ± 2.17%, while after the program FMD increased to 9.46 ± 3.69% (P < 0.001). After training, the NO_x also increased from 1.01 ± 0.38 μmol/L to 1.27 ± 0.48 μmol/L (P < 0.001). Effects were observed irrespective of participants' sex. Interestingly, a modest but significant reduction of IMT was also observed, from 0.5 ± 0.06 mm to 0.46 ± 0.10 mm (P = 0.04). There was also a reduction in the percentage of body fat content from 25.01 ± 8.77% to 22.31 ± 8.79% (P < 0.001). No statistically significant changes were noted after 12 weeks of training in the blood pressure and lipid profile. In the control group no statistically significant changes of any parameter were observed. Regular aerobic exercise improves nitric oxide-dependent endothelial function of the vessels and can initiate regression of atherosclerosis in people with HNBP.

A procedure for identifying possible products in the assembly-disassembly-organization-reassembly (ADOR) synthesis of zeolites

High-silica zeolites, some of the most important and widely used catalysts in industry, have potential for application across a wide range of traditional and emerging technologies. The many structural topologies of zeolites have a variety of potential uses, so a strong drive to create new zeolites exists. Here, we present a protocol, the assembly-disassembly-organization-reassembly (ADOR) process, for a relatively new method of preparing these important solids. It allows the synthesis of new high-silica zeolites (Si/Al >1,000), whose synthesis is considered infeasible with traditional (solvothermal) methods, offering new topologies that may find novel applications. We show how to identify the optimal conditions (e.g., duration of reaction, temperature, acidity) for ADOR, which is a complex process with different possible outcomes. Following the protocol will allow researchers to identify the different products that are possible from a reaction without recourse to repetitive and time-consuming trial and error. In developing the protocol, germanium-containing UTL zeolites were subjected to hydrolysis conditions using both water and hydrochloric acid as media, which provides an understanding of the effects of temperature and pH on the disassembly (D) and organization (O) steps of the process that define the potential products. Samples were taken from the ongoing reaction periodically over a minimum of 8 h, and each sample was analyzed using powder X-ray diffraction to yield a time course for the reaction at each set of conditions; selected samples were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy and solid-state NMR spectroscopy.

Association between P-selectin levels and left atrial blood stasis in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation

BACKGROUND

P-selectin - a biomarker of platelet and endothelial cell activation is elevated in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). However, the association between sP-selectin level and thromboembolic complications in NVAF patients remains controversial. We tested the hypothesis that plasma soluble P-selectin (sPSL) level correlates with the measures of left atrial blood stasis in NVAF.

METHODS

Plasma sPSL concentration was measured using solid-phase ELISA in 103 NVAF patients (age 63 ± 14 years; 26% women) and 48 normal sinus rhythm controls (NSR; age 64 ± 14 years; 41% women) who were not on aspirin. Within the group of NVAF cases, 27 had no spontaneous echocardiographic contrast (SEC) detected by transesophageal echocardiography, 31had mild SEC, 15 moderate, 20 severe, and 10 patients had left atrial appendage thrombus (LAAT).

RESULTS

The median soluble sPSL level was higher in NVAF cases compared to NSR controls [(interquartile range) 26 (20-32) ng/mL vs 22 (15-29) ng/mL, p = 0.0045]. Only NVAF patients with CHA₂DS₂-VASc score ≥ 1 had higher sPSL level compared to NSR controls. Patients with severe SEC had significantly higher sPSL levels [32 (24-38) ng/mL] compared to all other NVAF patients (p = 0.0042) and to NSR controls (p < 0.0001). Also NVAF patients with LAAT had higher sPSL level compared to NSR controls.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a direct correlation between p-selectin level and severe blood stasis in the left atrium. Only NVAF patients with CHA₂DS₂-VASc score ≥ 1 or with LAAT had higher sPSL level compared to NSR controls.