Abstract Objective: This study aimed to evaluate Ebstein’s anomaly surgical correction and its early and long-term outcomes. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 62 consecutive patients who underwent surgical repair of Ebstein’s anomaly in our institution from January 2000 to July 2016. The following long-term outcomes were evaluated: survival, reoperations, tricuspid regurgitation, and postoperative right ventricular dysfunction. Results: Valve repair was performed in 46 (74.2%) patients - 12 of them using the Da Silva cone reconstruction; tricuspid valve replacement was performed in 11 (17.7%) patients; univentricular palliation in one (1.6%) patient; and the one and a half ventricle repair in four (6.5%) patients. The patients’ mean age at the time of surgery was 20.5±14.9 years, and 46.8% of them were male. The mean follow-up time was 8.8±6 years. The 30-day mortality rate was 8.06% and the one and 10-year survival rates were 91.9% both. Eleven (17.7%) of the 62 patients required late reoperation due to tricuspid regurgitation, in an average time of 7.1±4.9 years after the first procedure. Conclusion: In our experience, the long-term results of the surgical treatment of Ebstein's anomaly demonstrate an acceptable survival rate and a low incidence of reinterventions.

Abstract Introduction: Donor shortage and organ allocation is the main problem in pediatric heart transplant. Mechanical circulatory support is known to increase waiting list survival, but it is not routinely used in pediatric programs in Latin America. Methods: All patients listed for heart transplant and supported by a mechanical circulatory support between January 2012 and March 2016 were included in this retrospective single-center study. The endpoints were mechanical circulatory support time, complications, heart transplant survival and discharge from the hospital. Results: Twenty-nine patients from our waiting list were assessed. Twelve (45%) patients were initially supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and a centrifugal pump was implanted in 17 (55%) patients. Five patients initially supported by ECMO were bridged to another device. One was bridged to a centrifugal pump and four were bridged to Berlin Heart Excor®. Among the 29 supported patients, 18 (62%) managed to have a heart transplant. Thirty-day survival period after heart transplant was 56% (10 patients). Median support duration was 12 days (interquartile range [IQR] 4 - 26 days) per run and the waiting time for heart transplant was 9.5 days (IQR 2.5-25 days). Acute kidney injury was identified as a mortality predictor (OR=22.6 [CI=1.04-494.6]; P=0.04). Conclusion: Mechanical circulatory support was able to bridge most INTERMACS 1 and 2 pediatric patients to transplant with an acceptable complication rate. Acute renal failure increased mortality after mechanical circulatory support in our experience.

Montmorillonite clays are of great interest for industrial processes such as catalysis and adsorption. The textural properties of clays can be modified in an attempt to increase their uses. This paper describes the acid treatment of natural montmorillonite clay. The materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AA) and BET surface area measurements. Three different acids (HCl, HNO3 and H2SO4) were tested, and HCl and H2SO4 were more efficient for removing Fe from the clay. The results indicate that HCl better preserves the material structure because less Al is removed. A central composite design (CCD) 2² was applied to evaluate the treatment using HCl. The temperature and concentration presented positive effects on the removal of Fe, Al and Mg. Combinations of the HCl acid solution concentration and temperature, such as 4 mol.L-1/50 °C and 1 mol.L-1/75 °C, assured that Fe was removed with less damage to the structure.

Clay is often employed as a catalyst, but quartz impurities can decrease the catalytic efficiency. Fine particles of clay can be purified by flotation. We examined the cationic surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTAB), the anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and the non-ionic TRITON X-100 for separating the quartz impurities from clay. Using X-ray diffraction, the separation was monitored for changes in the peaks corresponding to clay and quartz. Cationic surfactant HTAB was most effective in separating the quartz-clay mixture and the selectivity can be explained by internal adsorption of the surfactant onto the clay and external adsorption onto the quartz.

This work proposes the study of heterogeneous photocatalysis using TiO2 impregnated in zeolites beta, ZSM-5, mordenite, NaXb, NaXp and NaY for the decomposition of methylene blue. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, IR, textural analyses by N2 adsorption, SEM, DRS and the reaction of decomposition was monitored by UV visible. The results indicated that didn't have structural changes in the catalysts after Ti impregnations, only in the case of NaY and NaX zeolites. The better photocatalyst to metylene blue decomposition was beta/Ti zeolite due had one structure more accessible (with bigger porous) helping in TiO2 dispersion and catalytic active.

Offretite T zeolite was synthesized using different source of Si (Ludox AS-30, Ludox LS-30 and Aerosil 200 Degussa). The obtained materials were characterized by different complementary techniques: XRD, textural analysis by N2 adsorption, IV, SEM and chemistry analysis. This zeolite has an intermediary structure between offretite and erionite zeolites. In all experiments offretite T phase was obtained. Offretite phase presenting better crystalility are obtained in synthesis with stirring and employing aerosil as silicon source. This zeolite presents a potencial application as catalyst for hydroisodewaxing process.

This paper deals with an adosrption of sulphur compounds employing zeolites containing zinc. The zeolites employed were commercial NaY and Beta. The zinc was incorporated in three levels: 0.5; 1.0 and 5%. The sulphur compounds studied were benzothiophene and dibenzothiofene. The results showed that both zeolites can be employed for adsorption of benzothiophene and dibenzothiophene. The Zn incorporation (0.5%) promotes an increase in zeolites adsorption ability. The DBT adsorbs more than BT, probably because it strongly interacts with zeolite structure. The BT adsorbs more in NaY than in beta probably because the NaY zeolite has a high intern volume. This is not observed for DBT.

The study consists is the application of zeolites NaX, NaY and A as builder in detergent formulations to eliminate the hardness of water. Therefore, the adsorption of ions Ca+2 and Mg+2 were evaluated, and the effect of the cleaning action of the surfactant sodium dodecil sulfate (SDS) through tests of detergency. The experiments were conducted in bath system (with shaking) and quantification of metals was performed by atomic absorption spectrometry. Zeolite A showed the best results for adsorption of Ca++ and Mg++ with retention rates of around 90 and 70% respectively and acted positively on the action of cleaning the surfactant SDS.