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Terpenes, such as thymol and carvacrol, are phenols that exhibit antioxidant and antimicrobial activities but are unstable in the presence of light or oxygen. Layered hydroxide salts are laminar compounds that can host molecules in their interlaminar space, protecting them from degradation and delivering bioactive molecules in a sustained manner. In the present study, hybrids composed of brucite, thymol, or carvacrol were synthesized by precipitation and anion-exchange process. The structure was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, and characteristic hexagonal morphology was verified by scanning electronic microscopy. The antibacterial activity of hybrids was evaluated against foodborne pathogens (Escherichia coli, Salmonella Enteritidis, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus), obtaining an inhibition of 80% for both Gram-positive and -negative bacteria, while inhibition of 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) was 65% for carvacrol and 93% for thymol. Finally, the exposition of hybrids to Artemia salina proved to be non-toxic up to 200 mg·mL−1. The results suggest that these hybrids can control pathogen growth and exhibit antioxidant activity without threatening consumers’ health in the case of consumption, which helps develop novel and safe products applied in the food industry.

The necessity of improving the assessment of the expected economic losses by the earthquake actions has motivated the evolution of several proposals, aimed at evaluating the bridge seismic demands under different seismic scenarios. The most reliable methodologies to determine the seismic demands are the non-linear time history analyses, however, the computational time required can be excessive and the applicability of the outcome is usually limited for the analyzed bridge. Several studies have proposed analytical expressions to assess engineering demand parameters (EDP's) as function of an intensity measures (IM's) for some seismic regions and in most of the cases for displacement or drift demands. The objective of this research is twofold: to determine relationships IM-EDP functions, for typical highway RC bridges in Mexico and to quantify the influence of joining the seismic data of two important seismic sources on the bridge EDP's. The IM selected in this study, was the spectral acceleration for the fundamental period of the bridge and the EDP's were the pier plastic rotations and the bridge damage indices. For this purpose, the response of a family of bridge models located in four different seismic zones was assessed. The bridges were subjected to 124 seismic records from earthquakes with origin on the two most important seismic sources in Mexico, namely: subduction fault and deeper inslab fault. Finally, empirical equations were proposed, based on the 7936 nonlinear time history analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent earthquakes have damaged some bridges located on the Pacific Coast of Mexico; these bridges have been retrofitted or rebuilt. Based on the fact that the Pacific Coast is a highly active seismic zone where most of the strong earthquakes in the country occur, one fertile and important area of research is the study of the vulnerability of both new and existent bridges located in this area that can be subjected to strong earthquakes. This work is focused on estimating the contribution of some parameters identified to have major influence on the seismic vulnerability of reinforced concrete bridges. Ten models of typical reinforced concrete (RC) bridges, and two existing bridges located close to the Pacific Coast of Mexico are considered. The group of structures selected for the study is based on two span bridges, two pier heights and two substructure types. The bridges were designed according to recent codes in Mexico. For the vulnerability study, the capacity of the structure was evaluated based on the FEMA recommendations. On the other hand, the demand was evaluated using a group of more than one hundred accelerograms recorded close to the subduction zone of Mexico. The results show that the two existent bridges analyzed show similar trends of behavior of the group of bridge models studied. In spite of the contribution that traditional variables (height and substructure type) had to the bridge seismic response, the bridge length was also found to be one of the parameters that most contributed to the seismic vulnerability of these RC medium-length bridges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous analyses have shown that long-acting risperidone (LAR) is cost-effective in several Western countries. In Portugal, however, the costs of key services are lower. Therefore, available evidence in other countries may have limited relevance.Objective: To estimate costs and effects of LAR versus a conventional depot and a short-acting oral atypical antipsychotic over a 5-year period in Portugal.Methods: An existing discrete event model was adapted to reflect the Portuguese healthcare setting, based on expert opinion, clinical, epidemiological, and cost data. The model compares three scenarios. In scenario 1, patients start with a conventional depot; in scenario 2, with LAR; and in scenario 3, with oral risperidone. The model simulates individual patient histories while taking into account patient characteristics such as risk to society and side-effects. Subsequently, the model simulates patient histories in terms of outpatient appointments, psychotic episodes, treatment, compliance, symptom scores, lack of ability to take care presenting an actual risk, and treatment setting. Outcomes were number of psychotic episodes, cumulative symptom score and direct medical costs. Univariate sensitivity analyses were carried out.Results: Compared to a conventional depot and an oral atypical, LAR was estimated to save approximately euro 3603 and euro 4682 per patient (respectively) and avoid 0.44 and 0.59 relapses per patient in 5 years. Sensitivity analyses showed that the outcome of dominance was only sensitive to estimates about unit costs of hospital/institutionalization, potential risk, and to the reduction in symptoms by use of atypicals.Conclusion: Based on this modeling exercise, it could be expected that LAR may be a cost-effective treatment with limited budget impact in Portugal. However, further studies are required to test the generalizability of the results of the present modeling study to the larger population of Portugal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A randomized double-blind, multicenter 6-week study was undertaken in 80 depressed patients to compare the effects of moclobemide, a selective and reversible monoamine oxidase-A inhibitor (300 mg daily), and maprotiline (75 mg daily). Efficacy was assessed by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI). Tolerability was assessed by adverse events reports. After 6 weeks of therapy, both groups of patients showed significant improvement in HDRS and CGI. Speed of onset of action was faster with moclobemide (significant difference at week 3, p = 0.025). There was a significant reduction of depression ratings (HDRS) in both the moclobemide and maprotiline group in all types of depression according to ICD-9 criteria (major depressive disorder, neurotic depression and adjustment-prolonged depressive reaction). Significantly fewer patients in the moclobemide group reported adverse events (28.9% compared with 70.2%) including weight gain (2.6% compared to 21.6%). Anticholinergic side effects were less frequent with moclobemide. It is concluded that both drugs are at least equivalent in terms of therapeutic efficacy, but moclobemide is better tolerated.