Contraceptive adherence among HIV-infected women in Malawi: a randomized controlled trial of the copper intrauterine device and depot medroxyprogesterone acetate

To evaluate contraceptive adherence to the copper intrauterine device (Cu-IUD) and the injectable depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) among women with HIV in Lilongwe, Malawi

Valorization, comparison and characterization of coconuts waste and cactus in a biorefinery context using NaClO2-C2H4O2 and sequential NaClO2-C2H4O2/autohydrolysis pretreatment

The search for new sources of lignocellulosic raw materials for the generation of energy and new compounds encourages the search for locations not well known and with a high potential for biomass availability as is the case of the Northeast Region of Brazil. Thus, the cactus (CAC), green coconut shell (GCS), mature coconut fibre and mature coconut shell were pretreated by NaClO2C2H4O2 and sequential NaClO2C2H4O2/autohydrolysis aiming at the obtention of high added-value compounds in the liquid fraction and solid phase. The yield of the solid phase was between 61.42 and 90.97% and the reduction up to 91.63% of lignin in the materials pretreated by NaClO2C2H4O2. After NaClO2C2H4O2/autohydrolysis pretreatment the obtained solids yield was between 43.57 and 52.08%, with a solubilization of the hemicellulose content up to 81.42%. For both pretreatments the cellulosic content remained almost unchanged. The pretreated solids were characterized by SEM, X-ray and crystallinity indexes showing significant modifications when submitted to pretreatments. These results were further confirmed by the enzymatic conversion yields of 81.6890.03 and 86.9790.36% of the LCMs pretreated by NaClO2C2H4O2 and pretreated by NaClO2C2H4O2/autohydrolysis, respectively. The resulting liquors had a total phenolic compounds content between 0.20 and 3.05 g/L, lignin recovered up to 7.40 g/L (absence of sulphur) and xylooligosaccharides between 16.13 and 20.37 g/L. Thus, these pretreatments showed an efficient fractionation of LCMs, especially in the GCS, being an important requirement for the generation of products and byproducts in the context of the biorefinery.The authors gratefully acknowledge the Brazilian research funding agencies CNPq and CAPES for financial support. Financial support from the Energy Sustainability Fund 2014-05 (CONACYT-SENER), Mexican Centre for Innovation in Bioenergy (CemieBio), Cluster of Bioalcohols (Ref. 249564) is gratefully acknowledged. We also gratefully acknowledge support for this research by the Mexican Science and Technology Council (CONACYT, Mexico) for the infrastructure project - INFR201601 (Ref. 269461) and CB-2015-01 (Ref. 254808).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Ketogenic Diet Is an Effective Adjuvant to Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Malignant Glioma

INTRODUCTION: The ketogenic diet (KD) is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that alters metabolism by increasing the level of ketone bodies in the blood. KetoCal® (KC) is a nutritionally complete, commercially available 4:1 (fat:carbohydrate+protein) ketogenic formula that is an effective non-pharmacologic treatment for the management of refractory pediatric epilepsy. Diet-induced ketosis causes changes to brain homeostasis that have potential for the treatment of other neurological diseases such as malignant gliomas. METHODS: We used an intracranial bioluminescent mouse model of malignant glioma. Following implantation animals were maintained on standard diet (SD) or KC. The mice received 2×4 Gy of whole brain radiation and tumor growth was followed by in vivo imaging. RESULTS: Animals fed KC had elevated levels of β-hydroxybutyrate (p = 0.0173) and an increased median survival of approximately 5 days relative to animals maintained on SD. KC plus radiation treatment were more than additive, and in 9 of 11 irradiated animals maintained on KC the bioluminescent signal from the tumor cells diminished below the level of detection (p<0.0001). Animals were switched to SD 101 days after implantation and no signs of tumor recurrence were seen for over 200 days. CONCLUSIONS: KC significantly enhances the anti-tumor effect of radiation. This suggests that cellular metabolic alterations induced through KC may be useful as an adjuvant to the current standard of care for the treatment of human malignant gliomas

Fibrosis Progression Rate in Biopsy-Proven Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Among People With Diabetes Versus People Without Diabetes: A Multicenter Study

Background &amp; aimsThere are limited data regarding fibrosis progression in biopsy-proven nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) compared with people without T2DM. We assessed the time to fibrosis progression in people with T2DM compared with people without T2DM in a large, multicenter, study of people with NAFLD who had paired liver biopsies.MethodsThis study included 447 adult participants (64% were female) with NAFLD who had paired liver biopsies more than 1 year apart. Liver histology was systematically assessed by a central pathology committee blinded to clinical data. The primary outcome was the cumulative incidence of a ≥1-stage increase in fibrosis in participants with T2DM compared with participants without T2DM.ResultsThe mean (SD) age and body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters) were 50.9 (11.5) years and 34.7 (6.3), respectively. The median time between biopsies was 3.3 years (interquartile range, 1.8-6.1 years). Participants with T2DM had a significantly higher cumulative incidence of fibrosis progression at 4 years (24% vs 20%), 8 years (60% vs 50%), and 12 years (93% vs 76%) (P&nbsp;= .005). Using a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for multiple confounders, T2DM remained an independent predictor of fibrosis progression (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.17-2.43; P&nbsp;= .005). The cumulative incidence of fibrosis regression by ≥1 stage was similar in participants with T2DM compared with participants without T2DM (P&nbsp;= .24).ConclusionsIn this large, multicenter cohort study of well-characterized participants with NAFLD and paired liver biopsies, we found that fibrosis progressed faster in participants with T2DM compared with participants without T2DM. These data have important implications for clinical practice and trial design

Theoretical study of electronic absorption spectroscopy of propadienylidene molecule vis-â-vis the observed diffuse interstellar bands

Observation of broad and diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) at 4881 Å and 5440 Å assigned to the optical absorption spectrum of Y-shaped propadienylidene (H2Cdouble bond; length as m-dashCdouble bond; length as m-dashC:) molecule is theoretically examined in this paper. This molecule apparently absorbs in the same wavelength region as the observed DIBs and was suggested to be a potential carrier of these DIBs. This assignment mostly relied on the experimental data from radioastronomy and laboratory measurements. Motivated by these available experimental data we attempt here a theoretical study and investigate the detailed electronic structure and nuclear dynamics underlying the electronic absorption bands of propadienylidene molecule. Our results show that this molecule indeed absorbs in the wavelength region of the recorded DIBs. Strong nonadiabatic coupling between its energetically low-lying electronic states plays major role, initiates ultrafast internal conversion and contributes to the spectral broadening. Theoretical findings are finally compared with the available experimental and theoretical data and discussed in connection with the recorded DIBs

Theoretical study on molecules of interstellar interest. II. Radical cation of compact polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Radical cations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have been postulated to be molecular carriers of diffuse spectroscopic features observed in the interstellar medium. Several important observations made by stellar and laboratory spectroscopists motivated us to undertake a detailed theoretical study attempting to validate the recorded data. In continuation of our work on this subject, we here focus on a detailed theoretical study of the doublet ground (X&#732;) and low-lying excited (&#195;, B&#732; and C&#732;) electronic states of the radical cation of phenanthrene, pyrene, and acenaphthene molecule. A multistate and multimode theoretical model in a diabatic electronic basis is developed here through extensive ab initio quantum chemistry calculations. Employing this model, first-principles nuclear dynamics calculations are carried out to unravel the spectral assignment, time-dependent dynamics, and photostability of the mentioned electronic states of the radical cations. The theoretical results compare well with the observed experimental data

Effect of intravenous dexmedetomidine (1µg/kg) in obtunding the pressor response to laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation compared to intravenous preservative free 2% lignocaine (1.5mg/kg)

Background: Haemodynamic variation during layngoscopy/intubation is always a matter of concern for Anesthesiologists. A stable circulatory system is the wish of all performing general anaesthesia. Hence an acceptable and easy method needs to be established to prevent the haemodynamic variations. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of intravenous Dexmedetomidine (1µg/kg) infusion in obtunding the pressor response to laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation compared to intravenous preservative free 2% Lignocaine (1.5mg/kg).Methods: In this study, 60 patients, aged between 18-60 years belonging to ASA I and II are included. They were randomly divided into 2 groups, each comprising of 30. In group D, patients were given Dexmedetomidine 1µg/kg IV infusion over 10min and in group L, patient were given Lignocaine 1.5mg/kg IV.Results: In group D, the systolic, diastolic, mean arterial pressure and heart rate decreased significantly, from baseline, at first, second, third, fourth and fifth minute post intubation. In group L, the systolic, diastolic, mean arterial pressure and heart rate increased from baseline at first and second minute and then decreased at third, fourth and fifth minute post intubation.Conclusions: When compared between the two groups all the hemodynamic parameters showed statistical significance. There are no significant side effects and severe haemodynamic variability like hypotension and bradycardia. Therefore we concluded that Dexmedetomidine is superior to lignocaine in blunting the hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation without any significant side effects.