The anti SARS-CoV-2 activity of nanofibrous filter materials activated with metal clusters

Nanofibrous filter materials were prepared by electrospinning a solution of 28 wt% poly(vinylidene fluoride) in N,N-dimethylacetamide with and without the addition of 2 wt% AgNO₃, Cu(NO₃)₂·2.5H₂O or ZnCl₂. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, contact angle measurement, nitrogen sorption, and mercury intrusion porosimetry methods were used for the characterization of physical structure as well as the chemical composition of the electrospun materials. Particle filtration efficiency and antiviral activity against the SARS-CoV-2 alpha variant were tested in order to estimate the suitability of the prepared electrospun filter materials for application as indoor air filtration systems with virucidal properties. All filter materials prepared with salts demonstrated very high particle filtration efficiency (≥98.0%). The best antiviral activity was demonstrated by a material containing Cu(NO₃)₂·2.5H₂O in the spinning solution, which displayed the decrease in the number of infectious virions by three orders of magnitude after a contact time of 12 h. Materials with the addition of AgNO₃ and ZnCl₂ decreased the number of infectious virions after the same contact time by only ∼8 and ∼11 times, respectively.

Valence electronic structure of [EMIM][B(CN)4]: ion-pair vs. bulk description

The ultraviolet photoelectron spectrum of the [EMIM][B(CN)₄] ionic liquid was recorded and analyzed. Together with different ab initio calculation methods, detailed insight into the electronic structure of this simple room temperature ionic liquid is possible. The ion-pair approximation to the liquid electronic structure was not sufficient. Therefore bulk ab initio calculations were performed on a proposed crystal structure. The modelling of bulk electronic spectra is able to explain the experimental electronic structure of the ionic liquid. Most notably, the dispersion corrected PBE calculation (PBE-D3BJ) showed good agreement with the experimental UPS spectrum. The spectra simulated by the B97-D and the BLYP-D3(BJ) functionals were also in agreement with the experimental data. The LDA approximation only provided qualitative agreement while the optB88-vdW and CX-vdW functionals were not good. However, it will be shown that many requirements have to be met in order to accurately describe the electronic structure of this ionic liquid.

The ultraviolet photoelectron spectrum of the [EMIM][B(CN)₄] ionic liquid was recorded and simulated using different ab initio ion-pair and bulk calculation methods.

Valence electronic structure of [EMIM][BF4] ionic liquid: photoemission and DFT+D study

The ultraviolet photoelectron spectrum (UPS) of the [EMIM][BF₄] ionic liquid was recorded and analyzed. Together with the gas-phase UPS spectrum of the [EMIM][BF₄] vapor and ab initio calculation methods, detailed insight into the electronic structure of this simple ionic liquid is possible. The low binding energy tail in the UPS spectrum is about 7.4 eV, in agreement with previous estimations of the HOMO–LUMO gap of the [EMIM][BF₄] ion-pair. The bulk ab initio calculations are able to explain most of the features in the spectrum. However, DFT consistently lacks accuracy in the description of the top of the valence band. The dispersion corrected PBE calculation (PBE-D3) did offer very good agreement with the experimental structure, but the recently-developed vdW-DF functionals C09, optPBE, optB88 and CX were found to offer the best agreement in terms of the electronic structure.

The ultraviolet photoelectron spectrum (UPS) of the [EMIM][BF₄] ionic liquid was recorded and compared to previously measured vapor phase UPS spectrum.

Associations Between Body Composition and Bone Health in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

More clarification on the associations between children's and adolescents' lean and fat mass (LM and FM) on the one hand and their bone health on the other hand is needed, given the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity in this population. This systematic literature review aimed to describe the current evidence on these associations. Data sources were Medline/PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL and The Cochrane Library (up to November 2014). Search items included LM, FM, children and adolescents (0-18 years), bone health measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) and search items concerning study design: observational and longitudinal studies. The study populations were healthy children and adolescents including obese children. Children with other diseases and clinical series of study subjects were excluded. Based on the studies included in this review (n = 19), there is a consensus that the contribution of LM to the variance of the different bone parameters is larger than the contribution of FM and that an increase in LM is associated with an increase in bone parameters. Most of the studies indicated that the increase in bone parameters seen in overweight and obese children and adolescents is due to an increase in LM and not to greater FM. The results on the association between body fat and bone parameters were contradictory and depended on children's age and sex. Still more data from studies with a longitudinal study design using (high resolution) pQCT and a representative sample are needed to get further insight in the associations between body fat and bone parameters in children, specifically concerning differences in sex, skeletal site and fat depots.

Lung ultrasound: routine practice for the next generation of internists

BACKGROUND

The lung is at the crossroads of ventilation and circulation and can provide a wealth of diagnostic information. In the past, lung ultrasound (LUS) was considered impossible. However, the interplay between air, fluid and pleurae creates distinctive artefacts. Combinations of these artefacts can help differentiate between various pathological processes, including pulmonary oedema, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, obstructive airway disease and pneumothorax. LUS, when used by experienced physicians, is superior to chest X-ray and comparable to computed tomography for establishing a diagnosis in acutely dyspnoeic patients. LUS allows for rapid, non-invasive and bedside patient assessment. It is therefore unfortunate that unlike many other medical specialists in the Netherlands, internists have not yet incorporated LUS into their daily practice.

OBJECTIVES

This review aims to be the starting point for internists wanting to acquire competence in LUS. REVIEW CONTENT: This narrative review describes the principles of ultrasound equipment, LUS artefacts, gives practical guidance to perform LUS and provides a road map towards LUS competence. Furthermore, it presents a decision tree to differentiate between causes of acute dyspnoea.

AUTHORS CONCLUSIONS

LUS is a promising diagnostic technique that can be of great help for the internist. It can be applied directly at the bedside and can also be used to follow up on disease progression and therapy. It is our belief that it will replace the stethoscope and that it will be the most used imaging technique in the near future, especially in dyspnoeic patients.

Near threshold photodissociation study of EMIMBF4 vapor

Photodissociation of the [EMIM][BF₄] ionic liquid vapors following excitation with light in the vacuum ultraviolet region was studied at different liquid temperatures.

Clinical implications of heart-lung interactions

As opposed to spontaneous respiration wherein small cyclic changes in transpulmonary, negative pressure coincide with lung volume changes, positive pressure (mechanical) ventilation results in a simultaneous rise in transpulmonary pressure and lung volumes. The changes may affect biventricular cardiac loading and function in dissimilar ways, depending on baseline cardiopulmonary function. This review is intended to update current knowledge on the pathophysiology of these heart-lung interactions in helping to explain the common circulatory alterations occurring during airway pressure changes and to better understand mechanisms of disease and modes of action of treatments, during spontaneous and mechanical ventilation.

A health education program for underserved community youth led by health professions students

OBJECTIVES

To develop and implement a health fair and educational sessions for elementary school children led by health professions students.

DESIGN

The structure and process were developed with elementary school administration to determine the health topics to be covered. Students and faculty members created a "hands-on," youth-oriented health fair and interactive health educational sessions. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected on learning outcomes from the underserved child population and health professions students.

ASSESSMENT

The health fair and educational sessions increased awareness of underserved youth in the areas of critical health behaviors, purposeful education on health issues facing their community, and exposure to careers in various health professions. The activities provided meaningful learning experiences for the health professions students.

CONCLUSION

The health education program model is an excellent way to teach health education, communication and critical thinking skills, and service learning to health professions students.

Mini-review on cardiac complications after mediastinal irradiation for Hodgkin lymphoma

We present a 62-year-old man who over the years developed almost all the possible cardiac complications of radiation therapy after treatment of a Hodgkin's lymphoma. A review of the literature and a summary of treatment options for cardiac complications after irradiation of the mediastinum for Hodgkin's lymphoma are presented.