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CO2 REDUCTION TO HYDROCARBONS AND OXYGENATES: FUNDAMENTALS, STRATEGIES AND CHALLENGES. The development of renewable energy sources (e.g., solar and wind) moves foward, the tendance for replacing fossil fuels increases. However, these technologies have as primary barriers to industrial processes’ efficiency and especially storage. Thus, CO2 reduction routes using these energy sources could chemically store part of the energy as fuels or chemicals, offering alternatives to current oil and gas industry. This process is inspired by photosynthesis, e.g., photochemical or electrochemical processes, using homogeneous or heterogeneous catalysts. Nevertheless, this reaction is thermodynamically unfavorable and has very slow kinetics, given the high stability of the CO2 molecule and the complexity of the redox reactions involved. Therefore, this review addresses this process’s kinetic and thermodynamic challenges, and the fundamental concepts of the photo(electro)chemical processes for CO2 reduction, besides presenting and discussing the materials with the potential to act as catalysts. The main reaction mechanisms and advances in the understanding of such processes are discussed, as well as future perspectives

Summary:. Sagging of the periumbilical skin, also known as the “sad umbilicus,” is one of the most common postoperative complications in liposuction. It is characterized by an increase in the width and decrease in the height of the umbilicus. Technological advances in power-assisted liposuction resulting in skin tightening have been central to improvements in the treatment of sagging skin. Laser-assisted liposuction is a procedure in which a laser fiber induces lipolysis and skin tightening. Laser treatment delivered using a 980-nm diode laser may result in up to 30% skin surface area contraction. The aim of this study was to describe a new technique called the “happy protocol” for the treatment and prevention of the sad umbilicus. The periumbilical region is treated using a 980-nm diode laser set to an output power of 20 W, with a total delivered energy of 5000 J. The developed technique may be applied to correct shape distortions or to create a natural-looking and aesthetically pleasant umbilicus during liposuction. A decrease in the width of the umbilicus followed by an increase in height are observed in the first postoperative days. Patients who were followed up for 7 months postoperatively showed positive aesthetic results. The final outcome was an oval-shaped umbilicus, with increased height and reduced sagging in the periumbilical region.

Primary breast augmentation surgery is one of the most performed cosmetic procedures among women. In the male population, another breast surgery occupies a prominent place: gynecomastia. Regional anesthesia for plastic surgery is part of a multimodal analgesia strategy that can reduce costs, reduce hospitalization, and pain in the postoperative period. The purpose of this article is to review and compare the most used ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia techniques for perioperative analgesia in aesthetic plastic surgery of the breasts. A review of clinical studies that investigated the association of regional anesthesia techniques guided by ultrasound with cosmetic plastic surgery of the breast in the last 5 years was carried out in the MEDLINE/PubMed database. Fourteen articles were selected for review. The most frequently reported techniques of regional anesthesia guided by ultrasound were paravertebral block (PVB), interfascial block (PECS 1 and PECS 2), serratus plane block (SPB), and intercostal block (IB). The lower consumption of opioids and better postoperative pain control were associated with PVB, PECS 1 and PECS 2, and SPB. PVB had a higher incidence of complications and PECS 1 and PECS 2 proved to be easier to perform. Interfascial blocks (PECS 1 and PECS 2) proved to be safer and easier to perform in cosmetic plastic surgery of the breasts than other types of blocks. They decrease the use of opioids and its side effects, reduce the length of hospital stay and recovery in the postoperative period.

CONTEXT: Electrical burns are an important etiology in dealing with patients suffering from burns. In situations of extensive deep lesions of multiple organs and systems affecting young and economically active people, there is a need for expensive multidisciplinary treatment, with a high socioeconomic cost for the community. Among the permanent injuries that explain this high cost, eye injuries stand out, since they are widely disabling. Although rare, lesions of the posterior segment of the eye are associated with higher incidence of major sequelae, and thus deserve special attention for dissemination and discussion of the few cases observed.CASE REPORT: The authors report the case of a patient who suffered high-voltage electrical burns and presented bilateral maculopathy, which evolved with a need for a surgical approach to repair retinal detachment and permanent low visual acuity.CONCLUSION: This report highlights the rarity of the etiology of maculopathy and the need for campaigns for prevention not only of burns in general, but also especially of electrical burns.