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Alcohol dependence is a chronic relapsing mental disorder with heterogeneous and complex underlying biology. It is frequently associated with nicotine dependence, severity of alcohol dependence symptoms, and diverse alcohol-related phenotypes, including the presence of delirium tremens and withdrawal symptoms, early or late onset of alcohol abuse, aggression, suicidal behavior, and anxiety. While searching for peripheral biomarkers of altered serotonergic (5-HT) function in alcohol dependence and alcohol-related behaviors, we determined a peripheral biomarker, i.e., platelet 5-HT concentration in a large group of Caucasian subjects with alcohol dependence subdivided according to the presence of specific alcohol-related phenotypes and smoking status. Individuals with alcohol dependence (n = 661) of both sexes were evaluated using Structural Clinical Interview based on DSM-IV criteria, while platelet 5-HT concentration was determined using the spectrophotofluorimetric method. Smoking is significantly associated, while sex and age are not, with platelet 5-HT concentration. Severe alcohol dependence and lack of withdrawal symptoms were associated with significantly decreased platelet 5-HT concentration in alcohol-dependent non-smokers. In smokers, significantly lower platelet 5-HT concentration was found in patients with the late onset of alcohol abuse. These results suggested that platelet 5-HT concentration might be used as a peripheral marker of different alcohol-related phenotypes, after controlling for the effects of smoking and sex.

Graphical abstract, Highlights • Pulmonary blood supply is the main determinant of physiology in tetralogy of Fallot. • This case exhibits a highly abnormal pulmonary valve and blood flow pattern. • Circular shunting may spare fetal health yet lead to neonatal hypoxemia and shock. • Surgical intervention stabilizes pulmonary blood supply in this unusual physiology. • Comparison is made with known subtypes of tetralogy of Fallot.

The European Union pursues the European Green Deal strategy as well as Sustainable Development Goals, the main target of which is to become a carbon- neutral continent by 2050. Hence, a lot of environmental challenges need to be solved. Possible determinants in mitigating environmental challenges are financial inclusion, natural resources and interaction with a green environment. This concept implies preserving natural resources and a clean environment for future generations. However, there is still no clear evidence in the literature on how natural resources and financial inclusion interact with the green environment in the EU. Therefore, this paper aims at filling this gap. In order to obtain empirical results, the quantile regression econometric technique proposed by Koenker has been applied. The analyzed period was from 2004 to 2019 for EU-26 countries. The results show that higher energy intensity is the main cause of environmental degradation. However, financial inclusion in higher quantiles and natural resources rent lead to a reduction in carbon emissions. Our results also confirm that the EU has succeeded in decoupling economic growth from pollution. The robustness of the results was checked using a Powell’s quantile regression, which confirmed the relationship between a green environment and the variables analyzed. Thus, the results suggest that financial inclusion needs to be more integrated into energy and climate policies, especially in the early stages of development. In addition, large-scale green investments are needed in EU countries to further reduce energy intensity and create an effective green environment.

The use of individually designed osteotomies, combined with individually manufactured osteosynthesis material, is rapidly becoming a standard for more challenging maxillofacial surgery. The benefits of patient-specific implants (PSI) in orthognathic surgery are clear in complex cases. PSIs can enhance precision and ease up the surgical protocol. We previously reported on the benefits of PSIs as reposition and fixation systems during Le Fort I osteotomy. The aim of this study was to evaluate a cohort of 28 patients, treated with bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO) and PSIs for fixation, with regard to healing for up to 3 years. A retrospective cohort of 48 patients with conventional mini-plate repositioned mandibles was also collected for statistical analysis. No statistically significant differences were found with regard to infection, soft tissue problems, or reoperations between these two groups. (C) 2018 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. (C) Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High concentrations of pesticides enter surface waters following agricultural application, raising environmental and human health concerns. The use of photoreactive nanoparticles has shown promise for contaminant degradation and surface water remediation. However, it remains uncertain how the complexity of natural waters will impact the photodegradation process. Here, we investigate the photoreactivity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles, the capability to degrade the pesticide chlorpyrifos, and the effect of and impact on bacteria during the photodegradation process. Loss of chlorpyrifos in solution resulted solely from photocatalytic oxidation, with 80% degradation observed after 24 h in our reactor, either in the presence or absence of bacteria. Degradation of chlorpyrifos to chlorpyrifos oxon and 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol was observed via LC/MS-MS and effectively modeled for the given reactor conditions. Bacterial inactivation occurred over 60 min and was not impacted by the presence of chlorpyrifos. The relative affinity of bacteria and chlorpyrifos for the nanoparticle surface decreased the amount of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) detected in the bulk by up to 94%, suggesting that ROS measurements in simplified systems may overestimate the reactivity of photoreactive nanoparticles in complex environments.

The development of lipid nanoparticles requires knowledge on the crystalline structure, polymorphic transitions and lipid-drug interactions. This study aimed at introducing advanced techniques to characterize nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) comprising palmitic acid, oleic acid, stabilizer and Domperidone. Crystallinity of single components and mixtures was investigated by laboratory Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS). NLC were studied with laboratory Small and Wide Angle X-ray Scattering (SWAXS). Photon Correlation Spectroscopy and Freeze Fracture Transmission Electron Microscopy were used to monitor particle size, zeta potential and shape. Stability of NLC was investigated using synchrotron X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and SAXS and laboratory SAXS. Palmitic acid showed a lamellar structure (polymorph C), which was still present after particle preparation. Spherical 300 nm-sized particles with zeta potential values above −30 mV were obtained and Domperidone was incorporated in its amorphous form. During storage, no differences in synchrotron XRD spectra were seen. However, laboratory SAXS measurements showed a second lamellar structure, identified as polymorph B. Synchrotron SAXS temperature scans confirmed that polymorph B did not affect the morphology of the encapsulated drug or the shape of NLC. These results highlight the unique capabilities of laboratory and synchrotron X-ray Scattering and Diffraction for improved structural characterization of lipid nanoparticles.

Sinonasal teratocarcinomasarcomas (SNTCS) are really rare, highly malignant and locally aggressive tumors, with a high recurrence and metastasizing rates. The average survival is less than 2 years. Recurrence is very common and usually appears within 3 years. We present here an interesting case of SNTCS with intracranial extension, completely involving the sinonasal cavity and right orbit, and extending posteriorly to the nasopharyngeal cavity. The patient underwent an extensive surgical procedure which included tumor resection along with right orbital exenteration and midface resection to ensure negative surgical margins. The postablative dural defect was reconstructed with the free temporalis muscle fascial graft, and post-ablative viscerocranial defect was reconstructed with the free miocutaneus rectus abdominis flap. Three months after the first operation the patient underwent salvage surgery due to the cytomorphologically confirmed recurrence in the region I on the right side of the neck. Extended radical neck dissection with total parotidectomy was performed, alongside with the resection of the involved skin. Post-ablative defect was reconstructed with the right pectoralis major miocutaneous flap. Adjuvant treatment in the form of radiotherapy and chemotherapy was administered. The patient is now free from disease at a regular one-year postoperative follow-up. Keywords: Nasal cavity, Paranasal sinuses, Neoplasms, Surgical flaps, Neck dissection, Chemoradiotherapy

Mist chambers (MC) have been used for decades to sample water-soluble gases in atmospheric studies. Herein, we characterize the use of a mist chamber for the collection of oxygenated organic gases, with a focus on intermediate solubility compounds to better constrain the transition from low-to-high collection efficiency. The investigated compounds span a range in Henry's law constants (KH, 2.5 × 101 M atm−1 to 4.1 × 105 M atm−1) and include moieties abundant in tropospheric gases (carboxylic acids, alcohols, and carbonyls). Under the configuration used here, the MC achieved greater than 90% collection efficiency for compounds with KH > 4.9 × 102 M atm−1. This represents an improvement over prior MC characterizations, likely due to the increased number of intermediate solubility compounds investigated. We apply the MC collection efficiency to simulations of VOC photooxidation. The results indicate that the MC is likely to collect the majority of gas-phase oxidation products for ten different VOCs, with the highest collection efficiency (94%) predicted for the oxidation products of α-pinene under low-NOx conditions.

Previous studies could report about different behavior of dried pellets at the 50°C due to the lack of constant rate period of drying. Now, one step further, the synchrotron (i.e. FT-IR, SWAXS) supported with laboratory sources (SWAXS, NMR) allowed deeper analytics reporting hidden partly molecular degradation invents from the frequently used drug ibuprofen in 4-isobutylacetophenone, and that molecule is no longer a drug but a toxic one. In the medication matrix CaSt was no degradation detected but the structural undulation seen with SAXS was also confirmed by FT-IR. However, we also show that a medical molecular degradation in their solid formulation could be detected and predicted not only by chemical analytics but also correlated and identified by a physical method based on X-Ray inner surface calculation. Such molecular degradation from active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) that occurs in the process of drug preparation in solid formulation can automatically be correlated with drug-dissolution. Thus, the Nano-analytical parameters based on the Small Angle X-Ray scattering (SAXS) signals of different electron densities in the material, identify the specific surface area, which could be seen even in closed pores and can be correlated with drug molecular degradation. As an example, is taken a very well-defined pellet solid ibuprofen calcium- stearate formulation. Using a synchrotron and a laboratory multi-technical package, we could reveal hidden nanostructures and molecular information, which have not been detected in previous studies. The Small and Wide X-Ray Scattering (SWAXS) spectra of pellets show that process variables do not affect the crystalline state of components but slight changes in the crystal lattice undulations (i.e., SAXS). Additionally, using the high-resolution NMR, Raman and Synchrotron-beam line FT-IR method, we can identify the molecular partial degradation of the Active Pharmaceutics Ingredient (API) in 4- isobutylacetophenone only at 50 °C in terms of the drying and preparation-condition. Such molecular degradation could not be detected in previous study due to the lack of high-resolution analytical laboratories and synchrotron tools that we were able to apply in this paper. For this sample also SAXS specific surface area display higher values and can be correlated as an indication and prediction for the molecular degradation but also dissolution due to increase of electron density contrasts. In general, such analyzes are helpful for the detection in time before the product comes on the market. Thus, we propose the idea of additional high-resolution multi-techniques i.e. Synchrotrons and new methods to become more common for revealing hidden medical molecular degradations, which can induce non- therapeutically but side effects.