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Geosynthetics have been used to reinforce soils for over four decades. They can also be used as reinforcement in buried pipe installations to reduce stresses and strains in the pipe, as well as the consequences of pipe explosions. This paper investigates the use of geosynthetic reinforcement to protect a flexible buried pipe from the effects of a localised surcharge on the soil surface. Large scale tests were carried out on an instrumented PVC pipe buried in a rather loose sand. Different types and arrangements of the reinforcement layer were investigated. The results obtained address the relations between stresses on the pipe, pipe strains and pipe deflections and show that the presence of the reinforcement can reduce significantly vertical and horizontal stresses on the pipe as well as pipe deformations. An elastic solution for the prediction of strains at the pipe crown was employed, whose predictions compared well with the experimental results.

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) due to unprotected left main coronary artery (LMCA) occlusion is a potentially life-threatening disease. AMI management has evolved over the past two decades, and mortality has decreased considerably. Though, little information on patient characteristics, management, and mortality trends in the most recent years is available regarding acute unprotected LMCA occlusion. Purpose We aimed to assess trends in patient characteristics, management, and outcomes for acute myocardial infarction due to LMCA occlusion between 2008 and 2020. Methods We conducted a retrospective multicentre registry of patients with AMI with unprotected LMCA occlusion admitted in three tertiary hospitals between 2008 and 2020. Patients were divided according to timeline of presentation, and we sought to compare clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes between a past group (from January 2008 to December 2012) and a contemporary group (from January 2017 to December 2020). Results Of 128 patients with AMI from unprotected LMCA occlusion, 28 were included in the past group [from January 2008 to December 2012 (group 1)] and 48 were included in the contemporary group [from January 2017 to December 2020 (group 2)]. No statistically significant differences in baseline risk factors were found between the two groups, except for hypertension (50.0% in group 1 vs 75.0% in group 2, p=0.027). There was no difference regarding presentation with cardiogenic shock (57.1% vs 64.6%, p=0.520). Median symptom-to-balloon time was high but similar in both groups [180 min (120-300) vs 210 min (120-420), p=0.640]. Radial access was more frequent used in the contemporary group (33.0% vs 10.7%, p=0.028), as well as the administration of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (14.6% vs 12.0%, p=0.004) and the implantation of drug-eluting stents (100% vs 63.2%, p=0.010). The use of mechanical circulatory support device was surprisingly higher in group 1 (82% vs 46%, p=0.002), but the intra-aortic pump balloon (IABP) was the only device available in that group. In the contemporary group, the use of IABP, Impella device, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was 37.5%, 20.8%, and 2.1%, respectively. The second antiplatelet agent was also different between groups, with a higher percentage of ticagrelor loading in the contemporary group. In-hospital mortality (46.4% in group 1 vs. 54.2% in group 2, p=0.520) and 1-year cumulative mortality (60.7% vs 60.4%, p=0.741) were high in both groups, but no statistically significant difference was found in survival analysis (p=0.794; log-rank test). Conclusion In our real-world population, despite the use of newer drugs and more advanced devices being more common in the contemporary group, patients with AMI due to LMCA occlusion are still a subpopulation with poor prognosis. Innovative strategies are needed to make a difference.

Background Acute total occlusion of the unprotected left main coronary artery (ATOLMCA) is a dramatic entity with very high mortality. Owing to its infrequency, there is limited and inconsistent data regarding this population. Purpose To describe the clinical presentation, short- and long-term outcomes of patients with ATOLMCA. Methods This retrospective multicentric cohort study included all patients presenting with acute ( Results In the period of the study, 11,036 emergent coronary angiographies were performed in the participating centers, 59 of which were ATOLMCA (0.5%). Mean age of patients at the time of the event was 61.2 (±12.2) years. Seventy-three percent were male. At presentation, 72.9% of patients were in cardiogenic shock, and aborted cardiac arrest occurred in 27.1%. Right dominance was present in all patients except one, who had a balanced dominance. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was performed in 89.8% of the patients, with angiographic success being achieved in 55.6% of the procedures. Overall, the in-hospital mortality rate was 57.6%. Mortality was significantly higher in patients without angiographic criteria for PCI success (87.5 vs 36.7%, p Conclusion Patients with ATOLMCA have a dismal prognosis. Most patients present with cardiogenic shock, and a significant number develop cardiac arrest during the acute phase. Despite medical care, in-hospital mortality is high. Patients with left dominance may not even reach the hospital. Among survivors, long term outcomes are reasonable. Further studies are needed in order to improve the management and outcomes of patients with ATOLMCA. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Introduction Evidence of benefit in the use of mechanical circulatory support devices (MCS) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is scarce. We aimed to evaluate the clinicalcharacteristics, prognosis and factors associated with the use of MCS in patients with AMI due to left main (LM) occlusion. Methods We performed a retrospective multicenter study of 128 consecutive patients with AMI with ≤12h of presentation with LM occlusion submitted to immediate reperfusion between January 1, 2008, until December 31, 2020 in three terciary hospitals of Portugal. Among this cohort, we divided patients into two groups according to the use of MCS devices. Results Regarding the baseline characteristics no statistically significant differences were found, except for the presence of cerebrovascular disease (2.9% in group with vs 16.9% in group without MCS, p=0.007) and peripheral artery disease (8.8% in group with vs 22% in group without MCS, p=0.037). We observed that the use of MCS devices was statistically different between the three centers (47.8%, 42%, 8.7%, p Conclusion The use of MCS does not seem to modify prognosis in patients admitted withAMI due to left main occlusion. Only cardiogenic shock and male gender were predictors of MCS use. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Background Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the second-most frequent valvular heart disease in Europe and frequently aggravates heart failure (HF) symptoms. Mitral transcatheter-edge-to-edge repair (TEER) can be considered in eligible patients, for both primary (in inoperable cases) or secondary severe MR. However, intervention is not advised in severe comorbid patients in whom it is not expected to prolong survival for over 1 year. Purpose Evaluate characteristics associated with HF New York Heart Association (NYHA) class recovery, and one-year all-cause mortality after mitral TEER for severe MR. Methods All mitral TEER procedures for primary and secondary MR conducted in a single-centre between 2014 and 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The primary endpoint was defined as a reduction of at least one NYHA class in the first month after intervention, and a secondary endpoint considered a recovery of at least two NYHA classes. Survival status 12 months after mitral TEER was also consulted. Clinical, echocardiographic and blood-analysis data were explored as characteristics associated with the endpoints defined, using Pearson's Chi-squared test, Wilcoxon rank sum test and Fisher's exact test, as appropriate. A p Results From 103 mitral TEER procedures, 86 (83%) had full information about pre- and post-intervention NYHA class, as well as survival status at 12 months. There was a higher proportion of primary MR among NYHA non-responders (47% versus 25%, p=0.034), but no differences for secondary MR. Higher surgical risk patients (EuroSCORE II) tended to have exhibit more NYHA recovery, though not reaching statistical significance (p=0.068). Both a more advanced NYHA class at baseline and lower N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) levels were linked to a higher symptomatic recovery (2048 versus 5676pg/ml, p Conclusions This study suggests that three-fifths of severe MR improve their NYHA class after TEER, but only one-fourth for primary MR. Earlier intervention – with lower NTproBNP levels, less severe pulmonary hypertension, and lower IVC diameters – is associated with more symptomatic HF improvement. All-cause mortality in the first year is still significant, exposing a need for better patient selection. However, these findings represent exploratory deductions of a relatively low number, single-centre, patients. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Background Low-flow status, currently defined as a stroke volume index (SVi) Purpose Determine the prognostic impact of FR and SVi before TAVI in survival after intervention for SAS. Methods A single-centre retrospective database of all TAVI performed between 2011 and 2019 was analyzed, and cases with pre-intervention echocardiograms available were included. Low-flow patients were identified according to basal FR ( Results From 657 TAVI performed, 490 (74.6%) cases were included, with a median follow-up of 43 months. From those, 59.6% were defined as low-flow according to FR, and 43.3% using SVi. Low-flow patients, using each parameter, were of higher surgical risk (EuroSCORE II and STS scores), had more advanced NYHA classes, worse estimated creatinine clearance, and suffered more frequently from coronary artery disease. Low-FR patients were also older, and more predominantly female. Atrial fibrillation was more prevalent among low SVi cases. Functional aortic valve area was lower in low-flow patients using both assessments, but low-SVi was also associated with lower transaortic gradients, as well as lower EF before and after TAVI. Regarding all-cause mortality, low-SVi was associated with worse survival [p=0.02, hazard ratio (HR) 1.43 (1.05–1.94)], but not low-FR (p=0.4). However, low-SVi, when adjusted for EuroScore II, was no longer a predictor of all-cause mortality (p=0.08). When considering FR and SVi as continuous variables, a higher SVi (but not FR) was associated with better survival (HR 0.98, p=0.047) in multivariable analysis adjusted for EuroSCORE II. When stratifying according to preserved and reduced EF, both FR and SVi did not predict all-cause mortality. Conclusions Low-flow states are common in SAS population treated with TAVI, being frequently associated with worse symptoms and higher procedural risk. Low-SVi, but not low-FR, negatively impacts survival after intervention, representing a marker for prognosis after TAVI. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Patients with laboratory criteria for anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS) but presenting only 'non-criteria' clinical manifestations are scarcely characterized in the literature. We aimed to analyse a cohort of these patients regarding the most prevalent manifestations, antibody profile, and treatments, while establishing a comparison with definite APS patients.A retrospective analysis was conducted of individuals fulfilling APS laboratory criteria assessed in two tertiary European hospitals between 2005 and 2020. Patients without clinical criteria but with non-criteria manifestations (termed 'clinical non-criteria') and age-/gender-matched controls were included.Altogether, 75 clinical non-criteria patients were analysed, with haematological (thrombocytopenia, haemolytic anaemia) and 'mild' neurological manifestations (white-matter lesions, migraine) as the most prevalent non-obstetric involvements. These patients displayed more thrombocytopenia [odds ratio (OR) = 3.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7-7.6; p = 0.001] than controls with APS, but severe manifestations, such as valvular heart disease (p 0.001), livedoid vasculopathy, seizures, chorea, transverse myelitis, bone necrosis, and alveolar haemorrhage, occurred only in definite APS patients. Corticosteroids were required by 40% of patients with thrombocytopenia. Manifestations in anticoagulated patients included white-matter lesions, nephropathy, superficial vein thrombosis, amaurosis fugax, and livedoid vasculopathy. Suspicion of progression towards systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) occurred in 19% of non-SLE individuals.'Clinical non-criteria' patients displayed significant treatment use, predominantly haematological involvement, and less severe manifestations than definite APS controls. Some patients may additionally progress to future SLE. The impact of certain manifestations flags them as potential future contributors to classifying individuals as definite APS.

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction Current rates of new Permanent Pacemaker (PPM) Implantations in the context of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) range from 2-36% and that necessity is related to worse prognosis. The use of self-expanding valves and a lower valve implantation depth are two factors associated with an increased risk of conduction disturbances post-TAVR. Theoretically, cusp overlap implantation technique has the potential to enable a higher valve deployment by eliminating parallax of the delivery catheter. Aim To compare the in-hospital incidence of PPM post-TARV using self-expandable valve according to the fluoroscopic guidance technique. Methods Retrospective, single-centre study, with evaluation of patients consecutively submitted to TAVR with self-expanding CoreValveTM between July 2020 and December 2021 dichotomized according to the use of cusp overlap implantation technique for fluoroscopic valve implantation guidance. Results 138 patients were included, predominantly women (57.2%), with a mean age of 78.4±8.0 years old, with severe aortic stenosis of the native valve being the most common indication for TAVI (85.5%). Cusp overlap view technique was applied in 50.7% of the patients (n=70). Frailty and co-morbidities were the most common cause for surgical refusal (54.3%). There was a significantly higher percentage of hypertensive patients (92.9% vs. 77.9%), lower previous aortic valve surgery (2.9% vs. 16.2%) and lower percentage of patients previously medicated with b-blockers in the group of patients in whom was used the cusp overlap technique; there were no other relevant differences related to the baseline characteristics. First degree atrioventricular block was present in 19.6% and complete right bundle block in 13.6% of the patients. Incidence of in-hospital post-TAVR PPM implantation wasn’t significantly different between the two cohorts of patients (cusp overlap vs. standard approach: 24.3% vs. 26.5%, p=0.77) (71.4% implanted in the context of complete heart block). Likewise, there were similar proportions of in-hospital new-onset of complete left bundle branch block (35.8% vs. 37.3%, p=0.86), volume of contrast used (140.6±37.5 mL vs. 145.2±51.5 mL, p=0.12), fluoroscopy time (15.6±8.8 min vs. 19.6±8.9 min, p=0.40) and radiation dose (556.3±320.6 mGy vs. 859.4±531.2 mGy, p=0.06). Conclusions This study shows that using the cusp overlap view for self-expanding valve implantation does not seem to achieve a significant reduction in in-hospital PPM implantation rate in comparison with the traditional 3 cusp co-planar fluoroscopic view. A larger and probably randomized clinical trial is needed to confirm these results.

Este trabalho propõe o uso de Sistemas Baseados em Regras Fuzzy para controlar o funcionamento (ligado/desligado) dos pontos de acesso de Redes de Sensores Sem Fio, com objetivo de reduzir seu consumo energético, e ao mesmo tempo, mantendo a qualidade de serviço da rede, a qual foi medida pela taxa de perda de pacotes. Para demonstrar a eficiência da nossa proposta, ela foi comparada com outras três abordagens. De acordo com o resultados obtidos, foi possível demonstrar ganhos superiores, tanto na redução do consumo de energia quanto na redução da taxa de perda de pacotes, em relação às outras três.

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background The Impella is a percutaneous ventricular assist device that unloads the left ventricle by ejecting blood to the aorta. Its use in cases of cardiogenic shock (CS) and high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention (HR-PCI) is increasing. Purpose To report clinical outcomes with the Impella device in the settings of CS and HR-PCI. Methods Single-center retrospective study including consecutive patients (2007-2019) implanted with Impella for CS treatment or hemodynamic support of HR-PCI. Results 22 patients were included: 12 were treated for CS and 10 underwent Impella-supported PCI. Impella 2.5 (7) and Impella CP (15) were used. In the CS group (75.9% male, mean age 50.4 ± 18.9, median duration of support 19 ± 24 hours), CS etiologies were myocardial infarction (41.7%), acute myocarditis (25.0%) and acute decompensated heart failure (33.3%). All patients presented with multiorgan dysfunction and were in stage D or E of the SCAI classification of CS. Most patients (83.3%) had severe left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and half also had right ventricular impairment. In 5 cases, combined support of Impella and venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was used: in 2 patients, Impella was implanted for LV venting; 3 patients needed escalation to ECMO due to refractory CS. Hemolysis was the most frequent device-related complication (63.7%). Three patients had BARC type 3 vascular complications. Three patients were transferred to a transplantation center, but none survived to transplant. In-hospital, cumulative 30-day and 1-year mortality were 58.3%, 66.6% and 83.3%, respectively. In the HR-PCI group (all male, mean age 73.7 ± 9.1 years, 50% diabetic, mean left ventricular ejection fraction 39.4 ± 13.6) all patients had multivessel, highly complex, coronary disease (mean baseline SYNTAX I score 44.1 ± 13.7); six had a last remaining conduit. All patients were considered ineligible for surgery by the Heart Team. Half of the patients underwent PCI in the setting of an acute coronary syndrome. Median number of vessels treated was 2 ± 1. Seven patients underwent unprotected left main PCI. Impella was immediately explanted after PCI in all cases. There were no intraprocedural or device-related deaths. In-hospital and 30-day mortality were 10%; 1-year cumulative mortality was 30% (all deaths were of cardiovascular causes). Conclusions In the CS group, in-hospital and 30-day outcomes were poor, in line with the existing evidence, illustrating the severity, complexity and heterogeneity of this clinical scenario. Acceptable rates of major device-related complications were observed. In the HR-PCI cohort, the use of Impella to provide hemodynamic support was feasible and safe. Long-term results express the severity of the underlying disease and the patients’ complexity. With the expanding use of the device, tools to identify the most suitable candidates for Impella support are warranted.

We theoretically predict the generation of nearly pure Hermite-Gauss modes as a result of the four-wave mixing of two Hermite-Gauss beams. Four-wave mixing with others paraxial wave equation solutions results in beams with multiple modes.

Oral cancer could be prevented. The primary strategy is based on prevention. Most patients with oral cancer present to the hospital network with advanced staging and a low chance of cure. This condition may be related to physicians' difficulty of making an early diagnosis. With the advancement of information technology, artificial intelligence (AI) holds great promise in terms of assisting in diagnosis. Few machine learning algorithms have been developed for this purpose to date. In this paper, we will discuss the possibilities for diagnosing oral cancer using AI as a tool, as well as the implications for the population. A set of photographic images of oral lesions has been segmented, indicating not only the area of the lesion but also the class of lesion associated with it. Different neural network architectures were trained with the goal of fine segmentation (pixel by pixel), classification of image crops, and classification of whole images based on the presence or absence of a lesion. The accuracy results are acceptable, opening up possibilities not only for identifying lesions but also for classifying the pathology associated with them.

Introduction The ideal treatment technique for coronary bifurcation lesions remains unknown. Although single-stenting strategy has been recommended by default, little evidence exists regarding clinical outcomes between single versus double-stenting in current practice. Purpose To compare procedural details and clinical outcomes between single vs double-stenting techniques in true bifurcation coronary lesions. Methods Retrospective study of all patients (pts) referred for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of true bifurcation lesions between June 2018 and June 2020. Only Medina X,X,1 lesions were included. Pts were split in 2 groups: group 1 (single-stenting) and group 2 (double-stenting). Procedural details and clinical outcomes were assessed. Acute and long-term adverse events included procedural complications (a composite outcome of side branch occlusion, coronary iatrogenic dissection and type 4 acute myocardial infarction (AMI)) and a composite of cardiovascular death, AMI, stroke, re-restenosis and reintervention, respectively. Results A total of 118 pts were included, 74,6% male, mean age of 66,4±11 years. Ninety-five pts (80,5%) were treated with single-stenting (G1) and 23 pts (19,5%) with double-stenting technique (G2). Both groups were well matched regarding baseline characteristics and clinical presentation. T and protrusion (TAP) and minicrush were the most frequent double-stenting techniques (43,5% and 21,7%). G2 lesions mainly involved the left main (LM) and proximal left anterior descendent artery (LAD) (52,2%) and in G1 mid LAD (34,7%). LM lesions were more common in G2 (26,1% vs 8,4%; p=0,030). G1 had more lesions Medina 1,1,1 (75,8% vs 52,2%; p=0,025) and less Medina 0,1,1 (9,5% vs 30,4%; p=0,015). Proximal optimization technique and kissing balloon occurred more in G2 (p Median follow-up was similar (G1 16,8±7,9 and G2 19,7±8,8 months; p=0,127). G1 had less occurrence of long-term adverse composite outcome (7,4% vs 26,3%; p=0,032). Excluding interventions in LM, G2 had more significant incidence of acute events (20% vs 2,6%; p=0,028), and higher rate of long-term adverse events (20% vs 4,2%; p=0,056). In interventions of the LM only, no differences were noticed in acute and long-term composite events between groups. Conclusions Double-stenting techniques in true coronary bifurcation lesions included more often LM lesions and were complex procedures requiring frequently intracoronary imaging. Although acute adverse events were similar to those of single-stenting, long-term adverse outcomes were more frequent in double-stent group, except for LM lesions. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of shade level on the production of T. myrmecophila seedlings. After 30 days of seedling transplantation, the seedlings were submitted to the following treatments: 100% light (full sun), 75% light and 50% light. The statistical design was completely randomized with 5 replicates of 10 seedlings each per treatment. The data were analyzed by repeated measures in time, in 5 measurements, performed every 30 days (150 days of evaluation). The analyzed variables were shoot height and diameter. The environment with 75% luminosity was the one that contributed most to the growth in height of the seedlings, having presented higher mean values over time, in the 5th month (34.94 cm). The most pronounced effect for growth in diameter was verified in the 5th month of evaluation, where the highest average was obtained in the environment with 50% of shading (4.61 mm). The T. myrmecophila seedlings were influenced by the shading levels used. From the results evaluated, treatments with 75% and 50% of solar radiation provided superior growth for dendrometric variables height and diameter, respectively. Therefore, we recommend environments with 75% and 50% of solar radiation for the production of T. Myrmecophila seedlings.

Introduction Although extensively characterized in the outpatient setting, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the hospitalization wards is still scarcely portrayed, particularly in the perspective of its evolution over the years. Methods Retrospective analysis of SLE patients hospitalized in the Department of Autoimmune Diseases of a university hospital during a 20-year period (1995–2015), describing hospitalization characteristics, causes and predictors of outcome. Results A total of 814 hospitalizations concerning 339 patients were analysed. The main causes of admission were flare (40.2%), infection (19.2%), diagnostic procedures (18.8%) and thrombotic events (5.4%). Therapy with cyclophosphamide (odds ratio (OR) 1.908, p = 0.047) was associated with admission due to infection, while antimalarials displayed a protective effect (OR 0.649, p = 0.024). Nearly 3.9% of patients required admission to an intensive care unit, with associated antiphospholipid syndrome (OR 7.385, p = 0.04) standing as a predicting factor for this outcome. Readmission at 30 days occurred in 5.8% of patients, with thrombocytopenia (OR 6.007, p = 0.002) and renal involvement (OR 3.362, p = 0.032) featuring as predicting factors. Eight patients died, with antiphospholipid syndrome (OR 26.814, p = 0.02) and thrombocytopenia (OR 31.523, p = 0.01) being associated with mortality. There was no significant variation in patients' demographics or admission causes across the 20-year period, except for a decrease in admissions due to thrombotic and musculoskeletal causes. Recently, an increase in the use of mycophenolate mofetil and lower doses of glucocorticoids were noted. Conclusion While demographics of SLE hospitalizations have not markedly changed over the past 20 years, changes in therapy patterns were observed. Thrombocytopenia, antiphospholipid syndrome and renal involvement featured as predictors of poor outcome.

Simulation systems are becoming a widely used tool for planning and staff training in different applications. To support the execution of agents’ deployment tasks in virtual simulation systems, this work evaluates the effectiveness of search and optimization algorithms with different nature, namely, the Simulated Annealing and the Tabu Search algorithms, in the resolution of a constraint-based and time-limited optimization problem. Particularly, the modeled simulated application problem regards the spatial positioning (or distribution) of agents in tactical positions of a virtual terrain scenario. The work addresses how to model this problem and to solve it during simulation runtime, where strict processing time limits are considered. Experimental results show that the proposed approach permits to efficiently distribute the agents according to the required formation pattern, both in execution time and agent distribution error, with a significant optimization rate.

Este artigo apresenta uma solução para facilitar o turista brasileiro na identificação e cálculo do valor de moedas em dólar, já que estas não apresentam seus respectivos valores através de algarismos arábicos retratados nelas. Para este fim, foi desenvolvido um aplicativo multiplataforma capaz de fotografar essas moeda e, através da rede neural MobileNetV2, fazer a análise das mesmas determinando seus valores, retornando ao usuário o valor total das moedas que foram fotografadas. Os testes iniciais feitos utilizando esse aplicativo demonstram que a rede neural utilizada, quando aplicada em situações reais, apresenta uma taxa de acurácia de 97,65%.

By considering parity-defined Laguerre–Gaussian (LG) and Hermite–Gaussian (HG) beams as input modes, we present arguments through experimental and theoretical results in order to affirm that using HG modes as bases is more suitable for optical mode conversion than using LG modes. By analyzing the normalized overlap integral and the generated modes, we determine a clear rule for the dominant mode for nonlinear mixing of HG beams, while the same is not possible for LG beams. In addition, examples of optical modal conversion using both HG and LG modes as input beams are demonstrated.

The modelling of metabolic activation of the benzofuran nucleus is important to obtain eco-sustainable degradation methods and to understand the related mechanisms. The present work reports the catalytic oxidation of benzofuran, 2-methylbenzofuran, and 3-methylbenzofuran by hydrogen peroxide, at room temperature, in the presence of different Mn(III) porphyrins as models of cytochrome P450 enzymes. Conversions above 95% were attained for all the substrates. The key step is the formation of epoxides, which undergo different reaction pathways depending on factors, such as the position of the methyl group and the reaction and work-up conditions used.

Precise light manipulation in optical media has been important for developing new communication protocols, particle tracking and control, environmental sensing and quantum computing, to cite a few applications. Here, we explore the nonlinear light-matter interactions of Hermite-Gaussian (HG) beams with a rubidium vapor. We analytically and numerically predict the possibility of generating a nearly pure optical HG mode as a result of the four-wave mixing of two different HG modes. In contrast, four-wave mixing of other linear solutions of the paraxial wave equation in a third-order nonlinear medium results in the up-converted beam consisting of a superposition of multiple modes. In addition, we identify a large family of solutions of the paraxial wave equation, including cylindrical and elliptical modes, that can be generated in the process of the four-wave mixing by precisely adjusting the weights of the input HG beams. This study may find applications in the development of new classical and quantum optical sources, with more spatial versatility.

7 p., Introduction and objectives: Subclinical systolic dysfunction is one of the proposed mechanisms for increased cardiovascular risk associated with metabolic syndrome (MS). This study investigated the association between MSand impaired leftventricularglobal longitudinalstrain(GLS)andtheroleofeachMScriteria inthisassociation. Methods: We analyzed a random sample of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSABrasil) after excluding participants with prevalent heart disease. Results: Among the 1055 participants fulfilling the inclusion criteria (53% women; 52 9 years), 444 (42%) had MS. Those with MS had worse GLS (–18.0% 2.5%) than those without (–19.0% 2.4%; P < .0001). In multiple linear regression models, MS was associated with worse GLS after adjustment for various risk factors (GLS difference = 0.86%; P < .0001), even after inclusion of body mass index. Adjusted PR for impaired GLS as assessed by 3 cutoffs (1, 1.5, and 2 standard deviations) were higher among participants with than without MS: GLS –16.1% (PR, 1.76; 95%CI, 1.30-2.39); GLS –14.8% (PR, 2.35; 95%CI, 1.45-3.81); and GLS –13.5% (PR, 2.07; 95%CI, 0.97-4.41). After inclusion of body mass index in the models, these associations were attenuated, suggesting that they may, at least in part, be mediated by obesity. In quantile regression analyses, elevated waist circumference was the only MS component found to be independently associated with GLS across the whole range of values. Conclusions: Metabolic syndrome is independently associated with impaired GLS. Among the MS criteria, central obesity best depicted the link between metabolic derangement and cardiac function., Introducción y objetivos: La disfunción sistólica subclínica es uno de los mecanismos propuestos para el aumento del riesgo cardiovascular asociado con el síndrome metabólico (SM). Este estudio investigó la asociación entre SM y deterioro del strain longitudinal global (SLG) del ventrículo izquierdo y el papel de cada criterio de SM en esta asociación. Métodos: Se analizó una muestra aleatoria del Estudo Longitudinal da Saúde do Adulto (ELSA-Brasil) después de excluir a aquellos con cardiopatía prevalente. Resultados: De los 1.055 participantes que cumplían los criterios de inclusión (el 53% mujeres; edad, 52 - 9 años), 444 (42%) reunían criterios de SM. Aquellos con SM presentaron un SLG más reducido (–18,0 - 2,5%) que aquellos sin SM (–19,0 - 2,4%; p < 0,0001). En los modelos de regresión lineal múltiple, el SM se asoció con SLG ma´ s reducido despue´ s de ajustar por varios factores de riesgo (diferencia de SLG, 0,86%; p < 0,0001), incluso después de incluir el índice de masa corporal. Las TP ajustadas para los participantes con SLG reducido evaluados con 3 puntos de corte (1, 1,5 y 2 desviaciones estándar) fueron más altas entre aquellos con SM que sin este: SLG –16,1% (TP = 1,76; IC95%, 1,30-2,39); SLG –14,8% (TP = 2,35; IC95%, 1,45-3,81), y SLG – 13,5% (TP = 2,07; IC95%, 0,97-4,41). Después de incluir el índice de masa corporal en los modelos, estas asociaciones se atenuaron; lo que indica que la obesidad puede mediar, al menos en parte, estas asociaciones. En los análisis de regresión cuantílica, la circunferencia de cintura aumentada fue el único componente del SM que se halló independientemente asociado con el SLG a lo largo de todo el rango de valores. Conclusiones: El SM se asocia de manera independiente con alteración del SLG. Entre los criterios de SM, la obesidad central describe mejor la relación entre el trastorno metabólico y la función cardiaca.