The study aimed to identify predictors of overall 30-day mortality in cancer patients with pulmonary embolism including suspected pulmonary embolism (SPE) and unsuspected pulmonary embolism (UPE) events. Secondary outcomes included 30- and 90-day major bleeding and venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence.The study cohort included 1033 consecutive patients with pulmonary embolism from the multicentre observational ambispective EPIPHANY study (March 2006-October 2014). A subgroup of 497 patients prospectively assessed for the study were subclassified into three work-up scenarios (SPE, truly asymptomatic UPE and UPE with symptoms) to assess outcomes.The overall 30-day mortality rate was 14%. The following variables were associated with the overall 30-day mortality on multivariate analysis: VTE history, upper gastrointestinal cancers, metastatic disease, cancer progression, performance status, arterial hypotension <100 mmHg, heart rate >110 beats·min, basal oxygen saturation <90% and SPE (versus overall UPE).The overall 30-day mortality was significantly lower in patients with truly asymptomatic UPE events (3%) compared with those with UPE-S (20%) and SPE (21%) (p<0.0001). Thirty- and 90-day VTE recurrence and major bleeding rates were similar in all the groups.In conclusion, variables associated with the severity of cancer and pulmonary embolism were associated with short-term mortality. Our findings may help to develop pulmonary embolism risk-assessment models in this setting.

This study investigates the effectiveness of using nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) to immobilise Pb/Zn in two different soils (acidic and calcareous) and the effects of nZVI treatment on soil physico-chemical and biological properties. Soil samples spiked with Pb(II) or Zn(II) were treated with commercial nZVI suspension at a dose of 20% (28-36 mg Fe(0)/g soil) for 72 h and one month. Sequential extraction procedures showed a significant decrease of Pb/Zn bound to exchangeable and carbonate fractions and an increase of residual fraction after the treatment with nZVI. There were no significant differences in the distribution of Pb/Zn in the soil fractions between the contact times studied; the immobilisation of Pb/Zn with nZVI in the described conditions was stable at least for a month. Better immobilisation results were found for Pb than for Zn. No negative effects on soil physico-chemical and biological properties were observed. In fact, the application of nZVI stimulated the soil respiration and the dehydrogenase activity in both soils, especially in the case of Pb, probably due to the higher immobilisation percentages. These results suggest that the use of nZVI to remediate polluted soils with Pb or Zn is a promising in situ strategy, and more research is required both in the laboratory and field to investigate the effects of such a treatment to the soil ecosystem.

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Use of femtosecond laser irradiation could be an alternative to conventional surface treatments to achieve suitable adhesion zirconia and resin cements. Femtosecond laser irradiation at step 40 is preferable because it is more efficient and faster.

Aluminous hydroxy 2/1 clay minerals (‘intergrades’) can form in two ways: Al can either come externally from the solution, or internally from the mineral itself (octahedral or tetrahedral layers). This study is more concerned with the latter which seems the main source in acid soils.The most common organic acids present under natural conditions were used on two trioctahedral micas (phlogopite and biotite), and their chemical and mineralogical weathering effects were determined.Different kinds of mineralogical evolution are possible: mineral destruction by a few very complexing acids, possibly with intermediate stages (interstratified minerals); formation of ‘transformation’ smectite by acids derived from sugars; Al-hydroxy vermiculite formation (the 14 Å diffraction peak of which is stable under K saturation and vacuum). This evolution is the most frequent and is produced by the most numerous organic acids (even CO2), the acidity of which results in Al migration in the interlayer, but the complexing ability of which is not sufficient for Al removal.

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