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Arequipa, an UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, is a good example of how the harmonious interaction between climate, local materials, construction techniques and traditions can generate architectural solutions with positive values in terms of quality of life and cultural identity. The paper discusses under an environmental prism and with the help of scientific instruments the architectural patterns of the city. On-site measurements and energy computer simulations have been used to study the effect of climate factors on the adaptation process of the European models to a new natural surroundings and cultural context. The research has been focused on the study of traditional typologies by using a methodology in which environmental and technological aspects are related. The traditional architecture of Arequipa had never been analyzed before using real measures and computer science technologies. The research contributes objective and novel data about the advantages of vernacular solutions in light of a modern environmentally aware evaluation.

HIV/AIDS-Targeted Quality of Life (HAT-QOL) is an instrument for evaluating health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in people living with HIV (PLWHIV). This has been adapted into Brazilian Portuguese, but its dimensional structure has not been analyzed. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the HAT-QOL, using a sample of 319 PLWHIV in Salvador, Brazil. The study performed Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to assess the HAT-QOL dimensional structure. The analysis used a polychoric correlation matrix, Robust Diagonally Weighted Least Squares (RDWLS) as an extraction method, Parallel Analysis for factor retention, robust promin as oblique rotation, and Generalized H-index (G-H) for construct replicability of each factor. Model adequacy was assessed using the Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA), Comparative Fit Index (CFI), and Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI). Concurrent validity was evaluated with the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, version 2 (SF-36v2). EFA identified a HAT-QOL six-factor solution: Financial Worries, Sexual Function, Medication Concerns, Life Satisfaction, Health Worries, and Overall Function. This solution showed high G-H indexes, concurrent validity, and satisfactory adequacy indexes (X 2  = 231.345, df = 291, p < 0,001; RMSEA = 0.001, CFI = 0.999, TLI = 1.028). HIV Mastery, Disclosure Worries, and Provider Trust domains were not retained in EFA and did not have evidence of concurrent validity. This study proposed a HAT-QOL six-factor model for measuring HRQOL in the Brazilian PLWHIV. Future research could help identify another latent construct from not-included domains., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical Approval: This study is part of the Brazilian Cohort on HIV/AIDS (CoBRA) project, approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the School of Medicine of the Federal University of Bahia (protocol number 1.035.826). It adheres to the ethical standards outlined in Resolution 466 of 2012 of the Brazilian National Health Council. Consent to Participate: All the individual participants signed an informed consent form. Consent for Publication: Not applicable. Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The thermodynamically controlled self-assembly of bis-bidentate quaterpyridine ligand, L = 2,2':5',5″:2″,2‴-quaterpyridine, with Cr II and subsequent oxidation to Cr III yields the first photoluminescent tetrahedral [Cr III 4 L 6 ] 12+ molecular cage. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveals the presence of two homochiral cages (ΛΛΛΛ and ΔΔΔΔ) in the unit cell that crystallize as a racemic mixture. Additionally, a PF 6 anion is observed inside the cavity, in line with isostructural cages built with Ni II or Fe II . Each corner of the polyhedron is occupied by weakly antiferromagnetically coupled {Cr(bipy) 3 } 3+ (bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine) patterns, as revealed by magnetometry. Upon light excitation in the UV-vis region, spin-flip luminescence from the 2 E/ 2 T 1 excited states with a maximum at 727 nm (13755 cm -1 ) was detected at room temperature. The measured excited state lifetime of 183 μs is longer than the 102 μs recorded for the mononuclear [Cr(bipy) 3 ] 3+ complex under anaerobic conditions, whereas the luminescence quantum yields are in the same order of magnitude and amount to 10 -2 %. The photoluminescence brightness, B , calculated using the maxima of the absorption spectra for both species, goes from 14 M -1 ·cm -1 for the mononuclear compound to 90 M -1 ·cm -1 for the tetrahedral cage. This 6-fold improvement is observed across the entire excitation wavelength range, and it is due to the incorporation of four light-harvester units in the molecular cage.

Background: Despite advances in screening and therapy, breast cancer (BC) remains the predominant cancer in women globally. Dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) is pivotal in carcinogenesis across various cancers, including BC. Evidence indicates that miR-1307-3p is upregulated in BC tumors, yet its target genes are not fully elucidated. This study aimed to explore how miR-1307-3p regulates BC proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis and to identify potential target genes., Methods: Basal miR-1307-3p levels were quantified in BC cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7, as well as MCF-10A using quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-qPCR). The impact of miR-1307-3p inhibition on BC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis was assessed. Nine miRNA-target prediction databases identified potential miR-1307-3p targets. Target expression was validated using RT-qPCR, Western blot, and dual-luciferase reporter assays. MiR-1307-3p was overexpressed in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 compared to MCF-10A., Results: Inhibiting miR-1307-3p significantly reduced BC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. Bioinformatics analysis identified 17 potential miR-1307-3p targets, with protamine 2 (PRM2) overexpression confirmed via Western blot and dual-luciferase assays., Conclusion: MiR-1307-3p overexpression in BC promotes proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. PRM2 emerges as a novel miR-1307-3p target in BC., (© 2024 The Author(s). Thoracic Cancer published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Reductive proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) has important energetic implications in numerous synthetic and natural redox processes. The development of catalytic systems that can mediate such transformations has become an attractive target, especially when light is used to generate the reactive species towards solar-to-chemicals conversion. However, such approach becomes challenged by kinetic competition with H 2 evolution. Here we describe the excited state reactivity of a molecular Zr-based platform under visible light irradiation for the efficient reduction of multiple bonds. Mechanistic investigations shine light on a charge separation process that colocalizes an excited electron and an acidic proton to promote selective PCET. We further leveraged this reactivity for the photocatalytic reduction of a variety of organic substrates. Our results demonstrate the promise of this molecular platform to design strong photocatalytic PCET mediators for reductive transformations. More broadly, we also show the potential relevance of PCET mechanisms in the (photo)redox chemistry of Zr-based molecular materials., (© 2024 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

A series of highly emissive inert and chiral Cr III complexes displaying positive and negative circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) within the near-infrared (NIR) region at room temperature have been prepared and characterized to decipher the effect of ligand substitution on the photophysical properties, more specifically on the chiroptical properties. The helical homoleptic [Cr(dqp-R) 2 ] 3+ (dqp = 2,6-di(quinolin-8-yl)pyridine; R = Ph, ≡-Ph, DMA, ≡-DMA (DMA = N,N -dimethylaniline)) and heteroleptic [Cr(dqp)(L)] 3+ (L = 4-methoxy-2,6-di(quinolin-8-yl)pyridine (dqp-OMe) or L = N 2 , N 6 -dimethyl- N 2 , N 6 -di(pyridin-2-yl)pyridine-2,6-diamine (ddpd)) molecular rubies were synthesized as racemic mixtures and then resolved and isolated into their respective pure PP and MM enantiomeric forms by chiral stationary phase HPLC. The corresponding enantiomers show two opposite polarized emission bands within the 700-780 nm range corresponding to the characteristic metal-centered Cr( 2 E'→ 4 A 2 ) and Cr( 2 T 1 ' → 4 A 2 ) transitions with large g lum ranging from 0.14 to 0.20 for the former transition. In summary, this study reports the rational use of different ligands on Cr III and their effect on the chiroptical properties of the complexes., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Poncet, Besnard, Guénée, Jiménez and Piguet.)

Magnetic circularly polarized luminescence (MCPL), i.e. the possibility of generating circularly polarized luminescence in the presence of a magnetic field in achiral or racemic compounds, is a technique of rising interest. Here we show that the far-red spin-flip (SF) transitions of a molecular Cr(iii) complex give intense MCD (magnetic circular dichroism) and in particular MCPL ( g MCPL up to 6.3 × 10 -3 T -1 ) even at magnetic fields as low as 0.4 T. Cr(iii) doublet states and SF emission are nowadays the object of many investigations, as they may open the way to several applications. Due to their nature, such transitions can be conveniently addressed by MCPL, which strongly depends on the zero field splitting and Zeeman splitting of the involved states. Despite the complexity of the nature of such states and the related photophysics, the obtained MCPL data can be rationalized consistently with the information recovered with more established techniques, such as HFEPR (high-frequency and -field electron paramagnetic resonance). We anticipate that emissive molecular Cr(iii) species may be useful in magneto-optical devices, such as magnetic CP-OLEDs., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Complete or partial replacement of well-known five-membered chelating 2,2'-bipyridine (bipy) or 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) ligands with analogous didentate 2,2'-biimidazole (H 2 biim) provides novel perspectives for exploiting the latter pH-tuneable bridging unit for connecting inert trivalent chromium with cationic partners. The most simple homoleptic complex [Cr(H 2 biim) 3 ] 3+ and its stepwise deprotonated analogues are only poorly soluble in most solvents and their characterization is limited to some solid-state structures, in which the pseudo-octahedral [CrN 6 ] units are found to be intermolecularly connected via peripheral N-H⋯X hydrogen bonds. Moreover, the associated high-energy stretching N-H vibrations drastically quench the targeted near infrared (NIR) Cr III -based phosphorescence, which makes these homoleptic building blocks incompatible with the design of molecular-based luminescent assemblies. Restricting the number of bound 2,2'-biimidazole ligands to a single unit in the challenging heteroleptic [Cr(phen) 2 (H x biim)] (1+ x )+ ( x = 2-0) complexes overcomes the latter limitations and allows (i) the synthesis and characterization of these [CrN 6 ] chromophores in the solid state and in solution, (ii) the stepwise and controlled deprotonation of the bound 2,2'-biimidazole ligand and (iii) the implementation of Cr-centered phosphorescence with energies, lifetimes and quantum yields adapted for using the latter chromophores as sensitizers in promising 'complex-as-ligand' strategies.

Pseudo-octahedral Cr III N 6 chromophores hold a unique appeal for low-energy sensitization of NIR lanthanide luminescence due to their exceptionally long-lived spin-flip excited states. This allure persists despite the obstacles and complexities involved in integrating both elements into a metallosupramolecular assembly. In this work, we have designed a structurally optimized heteroleptic Cr III building block capable of binding rare earths. Following a complex-as-ligand synthetic strategy, two heterometallic supramolecular assemblies, in which three peripherical Cr III sensitizers coordinated through a molecular wire to a central Er III or Y III , have been prepared. Upon excitation of the Cr III spin-flip states, the downshifted Er( 4 I 13/2 → 4 I 15/2 ) emission at 1550 nm was induced through intramolecular energy transfer. Time-resolved experiments at room temperature reveal a Cr III → Er III energy transfer of 62-73% efficiencies with rate constants of about 8.5 × 10 5 s -1 despite the long donor-acceptor distance (circa 14 Å). This efficient directional intermetallic energy transfer can be rationalized using the Dexter formalism, which is promoted by a rigid linear electron-rich alkyne bridge that acts as a molecular wire connecting the Cr III and Er III ions.

This study focuses on the feasibility of using ground Acanthocardia tuberculate seashells as fine aggregates for self-compacting mortar production. The obtained results show a promising future for coastal industries as their use eliminates waste products and improves the durability of these materials. The use of Acanthocardia tuberculate recycled aggregate, in terms of durability, improves the performance of all mixes made with seashells compared to those made with natural sand, although it decreases workability and slightly reduces mechanical strength. Proper mix design has beneficial effects, as it improves compressive strength, especially when the powder/sand ratio is 0.7. Three replacement ratios based on the volume (0%, 50%, and 100%) of natural limestone sand with recycled fine aggregate from Acanthocardia tuberculate seashells, and three different dosages modifying the powder/sand ratio (0.6, 0.7, and 0.8), were tested. The fresh-state properties of each self-compacting mixture were evaluated based on workability. The mineralogical phases of the hardened mixtures were characterised using X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, and differential analyses. Subsequently, the mechanical and durability properties were evaluated based on the compressive and flexural strengths, dry bulk density, accessible porosity for water and water absorption, drying shrinkage, mercury intrusion porosimetry, and water absorption by capillarity. Therefore, the use of Acanthocardia tuberculate seashells in cement-based systems contributes to circular economy.

In this study, the maximum CO 2 capture capacity of an ordered mesoporous carbon (CMK-3) was evaluated at high pressure (35 atm) and several temperatures (0, 10, 20, and 35 °C). CMK-3 was synthesized with the hard template method (silica SBA-15) using furfuryl alcohol and toluene as carbon sources. The CO 2 adsorption isotherms were fitted to the following adsorption theories: Freundlich, Langmuir, Sips, Toth, Dubinin-Radushkevich, and Temkin. The maximum capture capacity (726.7 mg·g -1 ) was achieved at 0 °C and 34 atm. The results of the study of successive adsorption-desorption cycles showed that multi-cycle reversible gas capture processes could be used in optimal temperature and pressure conditions. It was determined that 0.478 g of CMK-3 would be required to reduce the CO 2 concentration in 1 m 3 of air to pre-industrial levels (280 ppm). The obtained results may contribute to technological developments for the mitigation of human impacts on the environment through the capture of atmospheric CO 2 .

The CO 2 adsorption of a phenylene-bridged ordered mesoporous organosilica (PMO-benzene) was analyzed. The maximum capture capacity was 638.2 mg·g -1 (0 °C and 34 atm). Approximately 0.43 g would be enough to reduce the amount of atmospheric CO 2 in 1 m 3 to pre-industrial levels. The CO 2 adsorption data were analyzed using several isotherm models, including Langmuir, Freundlich, Sips, Toth, Dubinin-Radushkevich, and Temkin models. This study confirmed the capability of this material for use in reversible CO 2 capture with a minimal loss of capacity (around 1%) after 10 capture cycles. Various techniques were employed to characterize this material. The findings from this study can help mitigate the greenhouse effect caused by CO 2 .

The perception of halos and other night vision disturbances is a common complaint in clinical practice. Such visual disturbances must be assessed in order to fully characterize each patient's visual performance, which is particularly relevant when carrying out a range of daily tasks. Visual problems are usually assessed using achromatic stimuli, yet the stimuli encountered in daily life have very different chromaticities. Hence, it is important to assess the effect of the chromaticity of visual stimuli on night vision disturbances. The aim of this work is to study the influence of the chromaticity of different visual stimuli on night vision disturbances by analyzing straylight and visual discrimination under low-light conditions. For that, we assessed the monocular and binocular visual discrimination of 27 subjects under low illumination using the Halo test. The subjects' visual discrimination was assessed after exposure to different visual stimuli: achromatic, red, green, and blue, both at the monitor's maximum luminance and maintaining the same luminance value for the different visual stimuli. Monocular straylight was also measured for an achromatic, red, green, and blue stimuli. The blue stimulus had the greatest effect on halos in both monocular and binocular conditions. Visual discrimination was similar for the red, green, and achromatic stimuli, but worsened at lower luminance. The greatest influence of straylight was observed for the blue stimulus. In addition, visual discrimination correlated with straylight measurements for achromatic stimuli, wherein greater straylight values correlated with an increased perception of halos and other visual disturbances., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: Our aims were to explore current intubation practices in Spanish ICUs to determine the incidence and risk factors of peri-intubation complications (primary outcome measure: major adverse events), the rate and factors associated with first-pass success, and their impact on mortality as well as the changes of the intubation procedure observed in the COVID-19 pandemic., Design: Prospective, observational, and cohort study., Setting: Forty-three Spanish ICU., Patients: A total of 1837 critically ill adult patients undergoing tracheal intubation. The enrollment period was six months (selected by each center from April 16, 2019, to October 31, 2020)., Interventions: None., Measurement and Main Results: At least one major adverse peri-intubation event occurred in 40.4 % of the patients (973 major adverse events were registered) the most frequent being hemodynamic instability (26.5%) and severe hypoxemia (20.3%). The multivariate analysis identified seven variables independently associated with a major adverse event whereas the use of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) was associated with reduced odds of major adverse events. Intubation on the first attempt was achieved in 70.8% of the patients. The use of videolaryngoscopy at the first attempt was the only protective factor (odds ratio 0.43; 95% CI, 0.28-0.66; p < 0.001) for first-attempt intubation failure. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of videolaryngoscopy and NMBAs increased significantly. The occurrence of a major peri-intubation event was an independent risk factor for 28-day mortality. Cardiovascular collapse also posed a serious threat, constituting an independent predictor of death., Conclusions: A major adverse event occurred in up to 40% of the adults intubated in the ICU. Peri-intubation hemodynamic instability but not severe hypoxemia was identified as an independent predictor of death. The use of NMBAs was a protective factor for major adverse events, whereas the use of videolaringoscopy increases the first-pass success rate of intubation. Intubation practices changed during the COVID-19 pandemic., Competing Interests: The authors have disclosed that they do not have any potential conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 by the Society of Critical Care Medicine and Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Bioactive compounds from medicinal plants have applications in the development of functional foods. However, since they are unstable, encapsulation is used as a conservation alternative. This work aimed to assess the bioactive properties (antioxidant and hypoglycemic) of different extracts, including the infusion, as well as their spray-dried microencapsulates from Tecoma stans leaves. A factorial design was proposed to determine the best extraction conditions, based on ABTS and DPPH inhibition. Maltodextrin (MD), arabic gum (AG), and a 1:1 blend (MD:AG) were used as encapsulating agents. Moreover, characterization through physicochemical properties, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the best two powders based on the bioactive properties were analyzed. The results showed that the combination of stirring, water, and 5 min provided the highest inhibition to ABTS and DPPH (35.64 ± 1.25 mg Trolox/g d.s. and 2.77 ± 0.01 g Trolox/g d.s., respectively). Spray drying decreased the antioxidant activity of the extract while preserving it in the infusion. The encapsulated infusion with MD:AG had the highest hypoglycemic activity as it presented the lowest glycemic index (GI = 47). According to the results, the microencapsulates could potentially be added in foods to enhance nutritional quality and prevent/treat ailments.

A dense system of pre-Hispanic urban centers has been found in the Upano Valley of Amazonian Ecuador, in the eastern foothills of the Andes. Fieldwork and light detection and ranging (LIDAR) analysis have revealed an anthropized landscape with clusters of monumental platforms, plazas, and streets following a specific pattern intertwined with extensive agricultural drainages and terraces as well as wide straight roads running over great distances. Archaeological excavations date the occupation from around 500 BCE to between 300 and 600 CE. The most notable landscape feature is the complex road system extending over tens of kilometers, connecting the different urban centers, thus creating a regional-scale network. Such extensive early development in the Upper Amazon is comparable to similar Maya urban systems recently highlighted in Mexico and Guatemala.

Harnessing sunlight via photosensitizing molecules is key for novel optical applications and solar-to-chemical energy conversion. Exploiting abundant metals such as iron is attractive but becomes challenging due to typically fast nonradiative relaxation processes. In this work, we report on the luminescence and excited-state reactivity of the heteroleptic [Fe III (pzTp)(CN) 3 ] - complex (pzTp = tetrakis(pyrazolyl)borate), which incorporates a σ-donating trispyrazolyl chelate ligand and three monodentate σ-donating and π-accepting cyanide ligands. Contrary to the nonemissive [Fe(CN) 6 ] 3- , a broad emission band centered at 600 nm at room temperature has been recorded for the heteroleptic analogue attributed to the radiative deactivation from a 2 LMCT excited state with a luminescence quantum yield of 0.02% and a lifetime of 80 ps in chloroform at room temperature. Bimolecular reactivity of the 2 LMCT excited state was successfully applied to different alcohol photo-oxidation, identifying a cyanide-H bonding as a key reaction intermediate. Finally, this research demonstrated the exciting potential of [Fe(pzTp)(CN) 3 ] - as a photo-oxidant, paving the way for further exploration and development of emissive Fe-based photosensitizers competent for photochemical transformations.

Objective: To evaluate the association between the availability of GeneXpert®MTB/RIF in municipalities and the proportion of people who have access to this diagnostic technology for tuberculosis (TB), as well as the resistance detected by the surveillance system in Brazil., Methods: We analysed 4998 Brazilian municipalities that reported 432,937 new TB cases between 2015 and 2020. We compared municipalities with and without the availability of GeneXpert®MTB/RIF regarding the effective access to GeneXpert®MTB/RIF diagnosis and the prevalence of detected resistance., Results: Municipalities with at least one GeneXpert®MTB/RIF system had three times (95% CI 2.9-3.0) the access to diagnostic tests and 80.4% (95% CI 70.6%-90.2%) higher detection of resistance, compared with municipalities without this technology. We estimated that there have been 1890 cases of undetected resistance during this period in the country., Conclusions: The availability of GeneXpert®MTB/RIF system in the municipality increased the sensitivity of the surveillance for detecting TB resistance., Public Health Implications: It is a priority to strengthen laboratory networks and narrow the gap in access to rapid diagnosis in remote areas to improve the detection and control of drug-resistant tuberculosis., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: Myopia has emerged as a significant public health concern. Effective methods have now been developed to delay its onset and progression. However, this information may not be reaching parents, and they are key players in terms of implementing the necessary preventive measures. This study investigated parental awareness of myopia, its implications and the strategies available for controlling it., Methods: A self-administered online survey was distributed to parents of children 6-16 years of age. To be eligible to respond, their child had to be myopic or at risk of developing myopia due to family history., Results: A total of 330 parents completed the survey, of which 321 were included for analysis. Sixty-seven percent of respondents had at least one myopic son/daughter, and most were between -1.00 and -1.75 D. Among parents of myopic children, 20.9% thought that their child's myopia progressed moderately. Sixty-seven percent of parents had a significant level of concern about the progression of the myopia and felt that it was caused mainly by the use of electronic devices and genetics. A generalised linear model showed that parental concern was significantly predicted by the perception of evolution (p < 0.001) and the number of known health-related consequences (p < 0.001). Almost 40% of parents were unaware of the existence of myopia control strategies. Relatives and eye care practitioners are the main sources of information. The most well-known myopia control strategy was myopia control soft contact lenses (29.2%), although the option that most parents would opt for was spectacles with peripheral defocus lenses (47.1%). The selection of a contact-lens-based myopia control method correlated significantly with the age of the children (p < 0.001)., Conclusions: Society in general and parents in particular need more information about myopia, its consequences and the options available for its control. Eye care practitioners play an important role in this issue., (© 2023 The Authors. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of College of Optometrists.)

Background Adequate nutritional support is crucial for achieving optimal growth and development in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) preterm infants. This study evaluated the efficacy of combined nutrition (CN) (parenteral plus enteral nutrition (EN)) as an alternative nutrition protocol for VLBW infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods This retrospective cohort study collected clinical and growth data from the medical records of VLBW infants weighing between 1,000 and 1,500 grams in the NICU of the Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology "Dr. Víctor Manuel Espinosa de los Reyes Sánchez" of the Centro Médico Nacional "La Raza" Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico. Parenteral nutrition (PN) alone or CN (PN plus EN) was used for nutritional management. Statistical tests, such as Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and chi-square test as appropriate, were used to compare the clinical characteristics and growth data of the two groups, and relative risk was calculated to determine the probability of comorbidities according to feeding type. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results The study included 90 VLBW infants, with 27 receiving PN alone and 63 receiving CN. No statistically significant differences were found concerning sex, age, or Apgar score. The CN group showed better weight gain with statistically significant differences at 28 days (p=0.002), with no increase in the relative risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or other complications. Conclusions The CN protocol met the caloric and nutritional needs, without increasing morbidity and mortality. The protocol had a positive impact on weight gain and a shorter NICU stay and should be considered as a nutritional alternative for VLBW infants., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Jiménez- Jiménez et al.)

This research studied the effect of accelerated carbonation in the physical, mechanical and chemical properties of a non-structural vibro-compacted porous concrete made with natural aggregates and two types of recycled aggregates from construction and demolition waste (CDW). Natural aggregates were replaced by recycled aggregates using a volumetric substitution method and the CO 2 capture capacity was also calculated. Two hardening environments were used: a carbonation chamber with 5% CO 2 and a normal climatic chamber with atmospheric CO 2 concentration. The effect of curing times of 1, 3, 7, 14 and 28 days on concrete properties was also analysed. The accelerated carbonation increased the dry bulk density, decreased the accessible porosity water, improved the compressive strength and decreased the setting time to reach a higher mechanical strength. The maximum CO 2 capture ratio was achieved with the use of recycled concrete aggregate (52.52 kg/t). Accelerate carbonation conditions led to an increase in carbon capture of 525% compared to curing under atmospheric conditions. Accelerated carbonation of cement-based products containing recycled aggregates from construction and demolition waste is a promising technology for CO 2 capture and utilisation and a way to mitigate the effects of climate change, as well as promote the new circular economy paradigm.

The objective of the present study was to explore three types of vibro-compacted precast concrete mixtures replacing fine and coarse gravel with a recycled/mixed concrete aggregate (RCA or MCA). The portlandite phase found in RCA and MCA by XRD is a "potential" CO 2 sink. CO 2 curing improved the compressive strength in all the mixtures studied. One tonne of the mixtures studied could be decarbonised after only 7 days of curing 13,604, 36,077 and 24,635 m 3 of air using natural aggregates, RCA or MCA, respectively. The compressive strength obtained, XRD, TGA/DTA and carbon emission evaluation showed that curing longer than 7 days in CO 2 was pointless. The total CO 2 emissions by a mixture using CO 2 curing at 7 days were 221.26, 204.38 and 210.05 kg CO 2 eq/m 3 air using natural aggregates, RCA or MCA, respectively. The findings of this study provide a valuable contribution to carbon emission evaluation of CO 2 curing in vibro-compacted precast concrete with recycled/mixed concrete aggregates (RCA or MCA). The technology proposed in this research facilitates carbon capture and use and guarantees enhanced compressive strength of the concrete samples.

In this research, the feasibility of using Acanthocardia tuberculata shell waste from the canning industry in the manufacturing of self-compacting mortar (SCM) was tested. The seashells were finely ground to be used as filler instead of the limestone filler normally used in this type of SCM. First, a physicochemical and microstructural characterisation of all raw materials was carried out, including the particle size distribution of both fillers. Subsequently, the self-compactability properties in the fresh state of SCM were evaluated using a total substitution by volume of limestone filler for seashell powder, using different self-compactiblity parameters. The mineralogical phases of all the SCM tested were identified once hardened by means of X-ray diffraction technique, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis. In addition, the mechanical properties, water absorption capacity, dry bulk density and accessible porosity of water of hardened mortars at 28 days of curing were analysed. The effect of replacing limestone filler by Acanthocardia tuberculata filler resulted in a decrease in compressive strength of 29.43, 16.84 and 2.29%, respectively. The results indicate that it is possible to completely replace natural limestone filler with Acanthocardia tuberculata shell filler without significantly affecting the mechanical properties of SCM.

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of a moderate breath-alcohol content (BrAC of 0.40 mg/L) on binocular visual performance for different visual functions after inducing different levels of interocular differences with the use of filters. A total of 26 healthy young subjects were enrolled. The participants participated in two sessions: one without alcohol consumption and another after alcohol consumption. In each session and for the different filter conditions (subjects were wearing Bangerter foil of 0.8 and BPM2 fog filter on the dominant eye), monocular and binocular visual function was evaluated by measuring visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, visual discrimination capacity (and successively by calculating their corresponding binocular summations) and stereopsis (near and distance stereoacuity). In addition, interocular differences were calculated for different retinal-image quality and straylight parameters. All monocular and binocular visual functions were analyzed and stereopsis was significantly impaired by alcohol and filters ( p < 0.05). Interocular differences for different ocular parameters and binocular summations for visual parameters were negatively affected by filters but not alcohol. Significant correlations (averaging all the experimental conditions analyzed) were found, highlighting: the higher the interocular differences, the lower the binocular summation and the poorer the stereopsis and, therefore, the worse the binocular visual performance.

This study focuses on the joint effect of gender and marital status on financial literacy. The study is based on the data of 7,456 adults who responded to the Financial Competencies Survey (2016), conducted by the Bank of Spain. The results revealed that married/couple women have a lower level of financial literacy than married/couple men, perhaps because men often make decisions regarding family finances, while women are often in charge of other homework. This may have important consequences for the financial autonomy of women of all ages, especially as they aging.

This study aimed to assess and compare the influence of alcohol intake and cannabis smoking on different visual functions. A total of 64 young and healthy volunteers took part in the study. All undertook several randomised experimental sessions in which different visual functions, namely distance stereopsis, retinal straylight, visual discrimination capacity, and contrast sensitivity, were tested. Cannabis smokers (N = 30) took a baseline session and a session after smoking a cannabis cigarette, whereas alcohol users (N = 34) underwent a baseline session, a session after a low alcohol intake (Alcohol 1), and a session after a moderate to high alcohol intake (Alcohol 2). All visual functions were impaired by cannabis and alcohol use, particularly for the Cannabis and Alcohol 2 groups. The deterioration of all visual variables was higher for the Alcohol 2 than for the Alcohol 1 and Cannabis groups, except for retinal straylight, the deterioration of which was equal for the Cannabis group, and distant stereopsis, which was more impaired for the Cannabis group. The Alcohol 2 group experienced the most impairing conditions, although very similar to the cannabis group, and that factors other than the experimental conditions, such as sex and age, also influenced these visual changes. Alcohol and cannabis use clearly impair vision. The deterioration caused by cannabis is similar to, but slightly lower than, that produced by a moderate to high alcohol intake, with the experimental conditions, sex and age all having an impact on the variability of visual deterioration., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women worldwide. This highly heterogeneous disease is molecularly stratified into luminal A, luminal B, HER2, triple-negative/basal-like, and normal-like subtypes. An important aspect in BC progression is the activation of inflammatory processes. The activation of CD8+/Th1, NK, and M1 tumor associated macrophages (TAMs), leads to tumor destruction. In contrast, an anti-inflammatory response mediated by CD4+/Th2 and M2 TAMs will favor tumor progression. Inflammation also stimulates the production of inflammatory mediators like reactive oxygen species (ROS). In chronic inflammation, ROS activates oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction. In cancer, ROS plays a dual role with anti-tumorigenic and pro-tumorigenic effects in cell signaling pathways that control proliferation, survival, apoptosis, and inflammation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), which are known to be involved in BC progression and inflammation, can be regulated by ROS. At the same time, miRNAs regulate the expression of genes modulating oxidative stress. In this review, we will discuss the interplay between inflammation, ROS, and miRNAs as anticancer and tumor promoter molecules in BC. A clear understanding of the role of miRNAs in the regulation of ROS production and inflammation, may lead to new opportunities for therapy in BC., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Villarreal-García, Estupiñan-Jiménez, Vivas-Mejía, Gonzalez-Villasana, Vázquez-Guillén and Reséndez-Pérez.)

This study is framed within the circular economy model through the valorisation of industrial by-products. This research shows the results of producing self-compacting mortars (SCMs) with electric arc furnace dust (EAFD) and other industrial by-products such as fly ash, conforming (FA) or not conforming (NcFA), from coal-fired power plants, or recovery filler (RF) from hot-mix asphalt plants. Three batches of SCMs, each with one industrial-by product (FA, NcFA, or RF), and three levels of EAFD ratio incorporation (0%, 10%, 20%), were tested. An extra batch with a greater amount of FA was manufactured. When the incorporation ratio of EAFD rose, the mechanical strength decreased, due to the presence of a calcium zinc hydroxide dihydrate phase; nevertheless, this decrease diminished over time. All SCM mixes, except the 40C 40FA 20 EAFD mix, were above 20 MPa at 28 days. All mixes named 70C and 40C reached 40 and 30 MPa, respectively, at 90 days. Mixes with EAFD showed less capillarity and no difference in water absorption by immersion with respect to mixes without EAFD after 91 days. The SCMs designed proved to be stable in terms of leaching of the heavy metals contained in EAFD, where all the hardened SCMs were classified as inert.

Background: Alcohol and cannabis are the most widely consumed psychoactive substances worldwide. This study compared the effects of alcohol and cannabis on visual function and driving performance, as well as self-perceived effects. Also, the relationship between visual effects under the influence and driving performance was studied., Methods: Sixty-four young drivers, with a history of alcohol and/or cannabis use were included. Of these, 33 were allocated to the alcohol group and 31 to the cannabis group. All participants were evaluated in a baseline session. The alcohol group underwent two sessions: after drinking 300 ml and 450 ml of red wine (A1 and A2). The cannabis group attended one session after smoking cannabis (C). Visual function was evaluated at the contrast sensitivity, stereoacuity, and intraocular straylight level. Participants drove a driving simulator. A general score (overall visual score, OVS; overall driving performance score, ODPS) was obtained for both visual functioning and driving performance., Results: The evaluation of visual function demonstrated a significant impairment in OVS for all conditions studied (A1, p = 0.005; A2, p < 0.001; C, p < 0.001) with respect to the baseline session. General driving performance (ODPS) demonstrated a significant worsening for the A2 condition (p = 0.003). Finally, a significant relationship between driving performance and visual function was found (rho=0.163, p = 0.039 and χ 2 = 4.801, p = 0.028)., Conclusions: Cannabis and alcohol use negatively impact visual function. However, driving performance was only significantly affected by the higher alcohol dose. This impairment in visual function was significantly associated with worse driving performance., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The chromium(III) polypyridyl complexes are appealing for their long-lived near-infrared (NIR) emission reaching the millisecond range and for the strong circularly polarized luminescence of their isolated enantiomers. However, harnessing those properties in functional polynuclear Cr III devices remains mainly inaccessible because of the lack of synthetic methods for their design and functionalization. Even the preparation and investigation of most basic nonsymmetrical Cr III dyads exhibiting directional intramolecular intermetallic energy transfer remain unexplored. Taking advantage of the inertness of heteroleptic chromium(III) polypyridyl building blocks, we herein adapt the "complex-as-ligand" strategy, largely used with precious 4d and 5d metals, for the preparation of a binuclear nonsymmetrical Cr III complex (3d metal). The resulting [(phen) 2 Cr( L )Cr(tpy)] 6+ dyad shows dual long-lived NIR emission and a directional intermetallic energy transfer that is controlled by the specific arrangements of the different coordination spheres. This strategy opens a route for building predetermined polynuclear assemblies with this earth-abundant metal.

The increased concern about climate change is revolutionising the building materials sector, making sustainability and environmental friendliness increasingly important. This study evaluates the feasibility of incorporating recycled masonry aggregate (construction and demolition waste) in porous cement-based materials using carbonated water in mixing followed (or not) by curing in a CO 2 atmosphere. The use of carbonated water can be very revolutionary in cement-based materials, as it allows hydration and carbonation to occur simultaneously. Calcite and portlandite in the recycled masonry aggregate and act as a buffer for the low-pH carbonated water. Carbonated water produced better mechanical properties and increased accessible water porosity and dry bulk density. The same behaviour was observed with natural aggregates. Carbonated water results in an interlaced shape of carbonate ettringite (needles) and fills the microcracks in the recycled masonry aggregate. Curing in CO 2 together with the use of carbonated water (concomitantly) is not beneficial. This study provides innovative solutions for a circular economy in the construction sector using carbonated water in mixing (adsorbing CO 2 ), which is very revolutionary as it allows carbonation to be applied to in-situ products.

Purpose: To assess binocular visual performance by means of binocular summation on visual function after inducing monocular forward scattering, and to study the influence of interocular differences on ocular parameters., Methods: Seven young healthy subjects were recruited. Four Bangerter foils and five fog filters were used to induce monocular forward scattering. To analyse the impact of the scatter, visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, visual discrimination capacity and distance stereoacuity were measured binocularly with the filter placed over the dominant eye. Additionally, interocular differences were calculated for four ocular parameters: the Objective Scatter Index (OSI), Strehl ratio (SR), modulation transfer function cut-off (MTF cut off) and straylight (log[s]). Binocular summation was determined for these visual functions., Results: A statistically significant deterioration in visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and stereoacuity was seen for all of the filter conditions with respect to the natural state (baseline), with the largest change being recorded for the Bangerter foils. Similarly, the interocular difference for the three retinal image quality parameters (OSI, SR and MTF cut-off) and log(s) increased significantly for the Bangerter foil condition, but not for the fog filters (except log(s)). Binocular summation declined gradually with the Bangerter foils, but not for the fog filters. Statistically significant correlations were found, that is, the greater the interocular differences, the lower the binocular summation of the visual functions and the greater the distance stereoacuity., Conclusion: Increased forward scattering in the dominant eye resulted in interocular differences, which reduced the overall binocular visual performance, including the binocular summation of several visual functions and distance stereoacuity. The results suggest that marked interocular differences in ocular parameters should be avoided in cases of ocular pathology, amblyopia and emmetropisation procedures (such as refractive surgery) or a monovision correction for presbyopia., (© 2022 The Authors. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of College of Optometrists.)

FeCo Prussian blue analogues of general formula A x Co y [Fe(CN) 6 ] z are responsive, non-stoichiometric materials whose magnetic and optical properties can be reversibly switched by light irradiation. However, elucidating the critical influence of the inserted alkali ion, A + , on the material's properties remains complicated due to their complex local structure. Here, by investigating soluble A ⊂ [Fe 4 -Co 4 ] cyanido cubes (A = K, Rb, and Cs), both accurate structural and electronic information could be obtained. First, X-ray diffraction analyses reveal distinct interactions between the inserted A + ions and the {Fe 4 -Co 4 } box, which impacts the structural distortion in the cubic framework. These distortions vanish, and a displacement of the small K + ion from a corner toward the center is observed, as a cobalt corner Co II HS is oxidized to Co III LS . Second, cyclic voltammetry experiments performed at variable temperatures show distinct splitting of the Co II HS ⇔ Co III LS peak potentials for the different A + cations, which can be qualitatively linked to different thermodynamic (standard potentials) and kinetic (energy barriers) parameters associated with the structural reorganization accompanying this redox-coupled spin state change. Moreover, for the first time, photomagnetism was investigated in frozen solution to avoid effects of intermolecular interactions. The results show that the metastable state is stabilized following the trend K > Rb > Cs. The outcome of these studies suggests that the interaction of the inserted alkali ions with the cyanide cage and the structural changes accompanying the electron transfer impact the stability of the photoinduced state and the relaxation temperature: the smaller the cation, the higher the structural reorganization and the associated energy barrier, and the more stable the metastable state.

One way to contribute to sustainability in the construction sector is through the incorporation of construction by-products from their own activities. This work intends to extend the possibilities for enhancement of these by-products through the incorporation of four different ones, as fillers, in mortar production. The influence of these incorporations in mortar production was compared with a reference mortar with siliceous filler in its fresh state; workability, entrained air content and fresh density, and in its hardened state; capillary water absorption, water vapour permeability and shrinkage (up to 91 days); and adhesive, compressive, and flexural strength; the last two were studied over time (up to 180 days). Despite the reduction in compressive strength, both in the short and long term, there was a gain in adhesive strength when the construction by-products were incorporated. Regarding the physical properties and durability studied, no relevant differences were found with respect to the reference mortar. According to the European Specifications, these mortars could be used as regular or coloured rendering and plastering mortars, and masonry mortars, and these findings promote the circular economy in the construction sector.

The substitution of three water molecules around trivalent chromium in CrBr 3 ·6H 2 O with the tridentate 2,2':6',2''-terpyridine (tpy), N , N '-dimethyl- N , N '-di(pyridine-2-yl)pyridine-2,6-diamine (ddpd) or 2,6-di(quinolin-8-yl)pyridine (dqp) ligands gives the heteroleptic mer -[Cr(L)Br 3 ] complexes. Stepwise treatments with Ag(CF 3 SO 3 ) and KCN under microwave irradiations provide mer -[Cr(L)(CN) 3 ] in moderate yields. According to their X-ray crystal structures, the associated six-coordinate meridional [CrN 3 C 3 ] chromophores increasingly deviate from a pseudo-octahedral arrangement according to L = ddpd ≈ dpq ≪ tpy; a trend in line with the replacement of six-membered with five-membered chelate rings around Cr III . Room-temperature ligand-centered UV-excitation at 18 170 cm -1 ( λ exc = 350 nm), followed by energy transfer and intersystem crossing eventually yield microsecond metal-centered Cr( 2 E → 4 A 2 ) phosphorescence in the red to near infrared domain 13 150-12 650 cm -1 (760 ≤ λ em ≤ 790 nm). Decreasing the temperature to liquid nitrogen (77 K) extends the emission lifetimes to reach the millisecond regime with a record of 4.02 ms for mer -[Cr(dqp)(CN) 3 ] in frozen acetonitrile.

We describe herein the first examples of six-coordinate Co II single-ion magnets (SIMs) based on the β-diimine Me bik ligand [ Me bik = bis(1-methylimidazol-2-yl)ketone]: two mononuclear [Co II ( R bik) 2 L 2 ] complexes and one mixed-valence {CoIII2Co II } n chain of formulas [Co II ( Me bik)(H 2 O)(dmso)(μ-NC) 2 CoIII2(μ-2,5-dpp)(CN) 6 ] n ·1.4 n H 2 O (3) [L = NCS (1), NCSe (2) and 2,5-dpp = 2,5-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine (3)]. Two bidentate Me bik molecules plus two monodentate N -coordinated pseudohalide groups in cis positions build somewhat distorted octahedral surroundings around the high-spin cobalt(II) ions in 1 and 2. The diamagnetic [CoIII2(μ-2,5-dpp)(CN) 8 ] 2- metalloligand coordinates the paramagnetic [Co II ( Me bik)(H 2 O)(dmso)] 2+ complex cations in a bis-monodentate fashion to afford neutral zigzag heterobimetallic chains in 3. Ab initio calculations, and cryomagnetic dc (2.0-300 K) and ac (2.0-12 K) measurements as well as EPR spectroscopy for 1-3 show the existence of magnetically isolated high-spin cobalt(II) ions with D values of 59.84-89.90 (1), 66.32-93.90 (2) and 70.40-127.20 cm -1 (3) and field-induced slow relaxation of the magnetization, being thus new examples of SIMs with transversal magnetic anisotropy. The analysis of their relaxation dynamics reveals that the relaxation of the magnetization occurs by the Raman (with values of the n parameter covering the range 6.0-6.8) and direct spin-phonon processes.

Bare (1) and silica coated (1@SiO2) spin crossover (SCO) nanoparticles based on the polymer {[Fe(NH 2 Trz) 3 ](BF 4 ) 2 } n have been prepared following a water-in-oil synthetic procedure. For 1, the critical temperatures of the spin transition are T C ↓ = 214.6 K and T C ↑ = 220.9 K. For 1@SiO2, the abruptness of the transition is enhanced and the critical temperatures are centred at room temperature ( T C ↓ = 292.1 K and T C ↑ = 296.3 K). An inert Re(I) complex of formula [Re(phen)(CO) 3 (PETES)](PF 6 ) (phen = 1, 10-phenanthroline; PETES = 2(4-pyridylethyl)triethoxysilane) (Re) was also synthesized yielding intense green emission centred at λ em = 560 nm. The grafting of this complex on the silica shell of 1@SiO2 led to a bifunctional SCO-luminescence composite (1@SiO2/Re) whose luminescence properties were tuned by the spin state switching. Temperature-variable photophysical studies showed that luminescence and spin transition were synchronized through a radiative (trivial) energy transfer mechanism between the Re(I) and the Fe(II)-LS (LS, Low Spin) centres.

The combination of π-donating amido with π-accepting pyridine coordination units in a tridentate chelate ligand causes a strong nephelauxetic effect in a homoleptic Cr III complex, which shifts its luminescence to the NIR-II spectral range. Previously explored Cr III polypyridine complexes typically emit between 727 and 778 nm (in the red to NIR-I spectral region), and ligand design strategies have so far concentrated on optimizing the ligand field strength. The present work takes a fundamentally different approach and focusses on increasing metal-ligand bond covalence to shift the ruby-like 2 E emission of Cr III to 1067 nm at 77 K., (© 2021 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Nine-coordinate [ErN9] or [ErN3O6] chromophores found in triple helical [Er(L)3]3+ complexes (L corresponds to 2,2',6',2''-terpyridine (tpy), 2,6-(bisbenzimidazol-2-yl)pyridine (bzimpy), 2,6-diethylcarboxypyridine (dpa-ester) or 2,6-diethylcarboxamidopyridine (dpa-diamide) derivatives), [Er(dpa)3]3- (dpa is the 2,6-dipicolinate dianion) and [GaErGa(bpb-bzimpy)3]9+ (bpb-bzimpy is 2,6-bis((pyridin-2-benzimidazol-5-yl)methyl-(benzimidazol-2-yl))pyridine) exhibit NIR (excitation at 801 nm) into visible (emission at 542 nm) linear light upconversion processes in acetonitrile at room temperature. The associated quantum yields 5.5(6) × 10-11 ≤ φuptot(ESA) ≤ 1.7(2) × 10-9 appear to be 1-3 orders of magnitude larger than those predicted by the accepted single-center excited-state absorption mechanism (ESA). Switching to the alternative energy transfer upconversion mechanism (ETU), which operates in multi-centers [CrErCr(bpb-bzimpy)3]9+, leads to an improved quantum yield of φuptot(ETU) = 5.8(6) × 10-8, but also to an even larger discrepancy by 4-6 orders of magnitude when compared with theoretical models. All photophysical studies point to Er(4I13/2) as being the only available 'long-lived' (1.8 ≤ τ ≤ 6.3 μs) and emissive excited state, which works as an intermediate relay for absorbing the second photon, but with an unexpected large cross-section for an intrashell 4f → 4f electronic transition. With this in mind, the ETU mechanism, thought to optimize upconversion via intermetallic Cr → Er communication in [CrErCr(bpb-bzimpy)3]9+, is indeed not crucial and the boosted associated upconversion quantum yield is indebted to the dominant contribution of the single-center erbium ESA process. This curious phenomenon is responsible for the successful implementation of light upconversion in molecular coordination complexes under reasonable light power intensities, which paves the way for applications in medicine and biology. Its origin could be linked with the presence of metal-ligand bonding.

Introduction: Chagas' disease is the leading cause of infectious myocarditis worldwide. This infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi is usually life-long and asymptomatic; however, the third part of infected people can develop severe or even fatal cardiomyopathy. As the parasitemia in the chronic phase is both low-grade and intermittent, T. cruzi infection is principally detected by serology, although this method has sensitivity and specificity limitations., Objective: To determine the level of agreement between serologic and molecular tests in 658 voluntary blood donors from six provinces in the Colombian department of Santander., Materials and Methods: We evaluated an array of diagnostic technologies by cross-section sampling performing a serological double diagnostic test for T. cruzi antibody detection (Chagas III ELISA™, BiosChile Group, and ARCHITECT Chagas CMIA™, Abbott), and DNA detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We collected the demographic, clinical, and epidemiological information of participants. The sample size was calculated using Epidat™ and the statistical analysis was done with Stata 12.1™., Results: PCR was six times more sensitive in detecting T. cruzi infection than ELISA/CMIA with prevalence values of 1.8% (12/658) and 0.3% (2/658), respectively, and kappa=0.28 (95%CI: -0.03 - 0.59). In contrast, serology showed a sensitivity of 16.7% (95%CI: 2.09 - 48.4) and a specificity of 100% (95%CI: 99.4 - 100). All seropositive samples were found to be positive by PCR., Conclusions: The implementation of PCR as a complementary method for screening donors could reduce the probability of false negative and the consequent risk of transfusional-transmission of Chagas' disease, especially in endemic regions.

A series of highly emissive inert and chiral Cr III complexes displaying dual circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) within the NIR region have been prepared and characterized. The helical [Cr(dqpR) 2 ] 3+ (dqp=2,6-di(quinolin-8-yl)pyridine; R=OCH 3 , Br or C≡CH) complexes were synthesized as racemic mixtures and resolved into their respective PP and MM enantiomers by chiral stationary phase HPLC. The corresponding enantiomers show large g lum ≈0.2 and high quantum yield of up to 17 %, which afford important CPL brightness of up to 170 m -1  cm -1 , a key point for applications as chiral luminescent probes. Moreover, the long-lived CP-NIR emission provided by these chromophores (ms range) in aqueous solution opens the way toward the quantification of chiral targets in biological systems with time-gated detection. Thus, such chiral chromophores based on earth abundant and inert 3d metals open new perspectives in the field of CPL and represent an alternative to precious 4d, 5d and to labile 4f metal-based complexes., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Cannabis is one of the most used drugs of abuse in the world. The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of smoking cannabis on vision and to relate these to those perceived by the user. Thirty-one cannabis users participated in this study. Visual function assessment was carried out in a baseline session as well as after smoking cannabis. We evaluated static visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, stereoacuity, accommodative response, straylight, night-vision disturbances (halos) and pupil size. The participants were also divided into two groups depending on whether they perceived their vision to have worsened after smoking cannabis. A logistic regression analysis was employed to identify which visual test could best predict self-perceived visual effects. The study found that smoking cannabis has significant adverse effects on all the visual parameters analyzed (p < 0.05). Self-perceived visual quality results revealed that about two thirds of the sample think that smoking cannabis impairs their vision. Contrast sensitivity, specifically for the spatial frequency 18 cpd, was identified as the only visual parameter significantly associated with self-perceived visual quality (Odds Ratio: 1.135; p = 0.040). Smoking cannabis is associated with negative effects on visual function. Self-perceived visual quality after smoking cannabis could be related to impaired contrast sensitivity.

Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug in the world. Limited information about the effects of cannabis on visual function is available, and more detail about the possible impact of visual effects on car driving is required. This study investigated the effects of smoking cannabis on vision and driving performance, and whether these effects are correlated. Twenty drivers and occasional users were included (mean (SE) age, 23.3 (1.0) years; five women). Vision and simulated driving performance were evaluated in a baseline session and after smoking cannabis. Under the influence of cannabis, certain visual functions such as visual acuity ( p < 0.001), contrast sensitivity ( p = 0.004) and stereoacuity (far, p < 0.001; near, p = 0.013) worsened. In addition, there was an overall deterioration of driving performance, with the task of keeping the vehicle in the lane proving more difficult ( p < 0.05). A correlation analysis showed significant associations between driving performance and visual function. Thus, the strongest correlations were found between the distance driven onto the shoulder and stereoacuity, for near ( ρ = 0.504; p = 0.001) and far distances ( ρ = 0.408; p = 0.011). This study provides the first evidence to show that the visual effects of cannabis could impact driving performance, compromising driving safety. The results indicate that information and awareness campaigns are essential for reducing the incidence of driving under the influence of cannabis.