Myosteatosis and aortic calcium score on abdominal CT as prognostic markers in non-dialysis chronic kidney disease patients.

We aimed to examine the relationship between abdominal computed tomography (CT)-based body composition data and both renal function decline and all-cause mortality in patients with non-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD). This retrospective study comprised non-dialysis CKD patients who underwent consecutive unenhanced abdominal CT between January 2010 and December 2011. CT-based body composition was measured using semiautomated method that included visceral fat, subcutaneous fat, skeletal muscle area and density, and abdominal aortic calcium score (AAS).

Anionic ring-opening polymerization of functional epoxide monomers in the solid state.

Despite recent advancements in mechanochemical polymerization, understanding the unique mechanochemical reactivity during the ball milling polymerization process still requires extensive investigations. Herein, solid-state anionic ring-opening polymerization is used to synthesize polyethers from various functional epoxide monomers. The critical parameters of the monomers are investigated to elucidate the unique reactivity of ball milling polymerization.

Mechanochemical Degradation of Poly(vinyl chloride) into Nontoxic Water-Soluble Products via Sequential Dechlorination, Heterolytic Oxirane Ring-Opening, and Hydrolysis.

As one of the most widely used commodity plastics, poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) is extensively used worldwide, yet is difficult to recycle and is often discarded immediately after use. Its end-of-life treatment often generates toxic hydrogen chloride and dioxins that pose a critical threat to ecosystems. To address this challenge, the mechanochemical degradation of PVC into water-soluble biocompatible products is presented herein.

Three segments sampling strategy for the assessment of liver steatosis using magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction.

Purpose: This research aims to determine the best liver segments representing the whole-liver fat fraction (FF) in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based measurement of the proton density fat fraction (PDFF).

Method: This retrospective study included 989 adult subjects who underwent MRI-PDFF from March 2018 to January 2021. Three regions of interest (ROI) were measured and averaged for each hepatic segment and the volume-weighted hepatic FF was calculated.

Polymer segmental dynamics near the interface of silica particles in the particle/polymer composites.

We demonstrate an approach to examine the local segmental dynamics of a polymer near the interface of an inorganic filler by observing the rotational dynamics of the fluorescent probe at the chain ends of polymer brushes grafted onto the surface of the filler particles. Localization of the fluorescent probe was realized by designing and synthesizing fluorophore-tethered polystyrene (PS) brushes anchored on the surface of silica particles of controlled sizes. Fluorophore-functionalized telechelic PS with an azide functionality at the other chain end was achieved via a combination of atom transfer radical polymerization and post-polymerization modification.