On the dual behaviour of water in octanol-rich aqueous -octanol mixtures: an X-ray scattering and computer simulation study.

Aqueous -octanol ( = 1, 2, 3, and 4) mixtures from the octanol rich side are studied by X-ray scattering and computer simulation, with a focus on structural changes, particularly in what concerns the hydration of the hydroxyl-group aggregated chain-like structures, under the influence of various branching of the alkyl tails. Previous studies have indicated that hydroxyl-group chain-cluster formation is hindered in proportion to the branching number. Here, water mole fractions up to = 0.

Gelation Dynamics upon Pressure-Induced Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation in a Water-Lysozyme Solution.

Employing X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy, we measure the kinetics and dynamics of a pressure-induced liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in a water-lysozyme solution. Scattering invariants and kinetic information provide evidence that the system reaches the phase boundary upon pressure-induced LLPS with no sign of arrest. The coarsening slows down with increasing quench depths.

Isomeric effects in structure formation and dielectric dynamics of different octanols.

The understanding of the microstructure of associated liquids promoted by hydrogen-bonding and constrained by steric hindrance is highly relevant in chemistry, physics, biology and for many aspects of daily life. In this study we use a combination of X-ray diffraction, dielectric spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations to reveal temperature induced changes in the microstructure of different octanol isomers, , linear 1-octanol and branched 2-, 3- and 4-octanol. In all octanols, the hydroxyl groups form the basis of chain-, cyclic- or loop-like bonded structures that are separated by outwardly directed alkyl chains.

Counting on Numbers-Numerical Abilities in Grey Bamboo Sharks and Ocellate River Stingrays.

Over the last decade, studies examining the cognitive abilities of fish have increased, using a broad range of approaches. One of the foci has been to test the ability of fish to discriminate quantities of items and to determine whether fish can solve tasks solely on the basis of numerical information. This study is the first to investigate this ability in two elasmobranch species.

On the X-ray Scattering Pre-peak of Linear Mono-ols and the Related Microstructure from Computer Simulations.

The X-ray scattering intensities (()) of linear alkanols OH(CH)CH obtained from experiments (methanol to 1-undecanol) and computer simulations (methanol to 1-nonanol) of different force field models are comparatively studied particularly in order to explain the origin and the properties of the scattering pre-peak in the -vector range 0.3-1 Å. The experimental () values show two apparent features: the pre-peak position decreases with increasing , and more intriguingly, the amplitude goes through a maximum at 1-butanol ( = 4).

Connecting structurally and dynamically detected signatures of supramolecular Debye liquids.

The monohydroxy alcohol 2-ethyl-1-hexanol mixed with the halogen-substituted alkyl halides 2-ethyl-1-hexyl chloride and 2-ethyl-1-hexyl bromide was studied using synchrotron-based x-ray scattering. In the diffraction patterns, an oxygen-related prepeak appears. The concentration dependence of its intensity, shape, and position indicates that the formation of the hydrogen-bonded associates of monohydroxy alcohols is largely hindered by the halogen alkane admixture.

Magnetic beads as an extraction medium for simultaneous quantification of acetaminophen and structurally related compounds in human serum.

This paper describes a sample preparation method that complements a previously published liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assay for acetaminophen and eight structurally-related compounds in human serum (C. Bylda, R. Thiele, U.

Palliative care outcomes in surgical oncology patients with advanced malignancies: a mixed methods approach.

Purpose: To prospectively compare outcomes and processes of hospital-based early palliative care with standard care in surgical oncology patients (N = 152).

Methods: A randomized, mixed methods, longitudinal study evaluated the effectiveness of a hospital-based Pain and Palliative Care Service (PPCS). Interviews were conducted presurgically and at follow-up visits up to 1 year.

Spiritual well-being in long-term survivors with chronic graft-versus-host disease after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Spiritual well-being (Sp-WB) is a resource that supports adaptation and resilience, strengthening quality of life (QOL) in patients with cancer or other chronic illnesses. However, the relationship between Sp-WB and QOL in patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) remains unexamined. Fifty-two participants completed the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual WellBeing (FACIT-Sp) questionnaire as part of a multidisciplinary study of cGVHD.

Humoral and cellular rejection after combined liver-kidney transplantation in low immunologic risk recipients.

Combined liver-kidney transplantation is considered a low risk for immunologic complication. We report an unusual case of identical ABO liver-kidney recipient without preformed anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies, transplanted across a T- and B-cell-negative cross-match and complicated by early acute humoral and cellular rejection, first in the liver then in the kidney. While analyzing the immunologic complications in our cohort of 12 low-risk combined liver-kidney recipients, only one recipient experienced a rejection episode without detection of anti-HLA antibody over time.

Quality of life and pain in premenopausal women with major depressive disorder: the POWER Study.

Background: Whereas it is established that organic pain may induce depression, it is unclear whether pain is more common in healthy subjects with depression. We assessed the prevalence of pain in premenopausal women with major depression (MDD). Subjects were 21- to 45-year-old premenopausal women with MDD (N = 70; age: 35.

[Radical prostatectomy: open or "minimally invasive"? Our experience with open surgery and related comments].

Radical prostatectomy remains the gold standard for treatment of localised prostate cancer. Standardisation of the open retro-pubic anatomic prostatectomy by P Walsh allows skilled but not expert surgeons to achieve a high standard of performance. Learning curve is short with this technic, with minor morbidity.

Renal transplantation in the elderly: a long-term, single-centre experience.

Background: End-stage renal failure increases with advancing age and renal transplantation should be considered in end-stage renal failure patients older than 60 years. However, there is a paucity of data on long-term patient and graft survival in this population.

Methods: From October 1983 to March 1999, 310 renal transplantations were performed at Geneva University Hospital in 283 patients, of which 49 were done in 48 patients older than 60 years (mean age 65.

Cyclosporine toxicity in renal transplant recipients detected by nailfold capillaroscopy with Na-fluorescein.

Background: Cyclosporine represented a major advance in the medical management of patients with organ transplantation, but its use is limited by the frequent occurrence of hypertension and renal toxicity diagnosed by invasive renal biopsy. Renal histology shows a specific arteriolopathy. It was hypothesized that cyclosporine may also induce subclinical microvascular changes in the skin that might be detected noninvasively by a combination of dynamic capillaroscopy [capillary blood cell velocity (CBV)] with and without intravenous Na-fluorescein (NaF) injection and laser Doppler fluxmetry (LDF).

Motional sidebands and direct measurement of the cooling rate in the resonance fluorescence of a single trapped ion.

Resonance fluorescence of a single trapped ion is spectrally analyzed using a heterodyne technique. Motional sidebands due to the oscillation of the ion in the harmonic trap potential are observed in the fluorescence spectrum. From the width of the sidebands the cooling rate is obtained and found to be in agreement with the theoretical prediction.

Kinetics of cellular viability in warm versus cold ischemia conditions of kidney preservation. A biometric study.

We have determined the kinetics of the cellular viability ratio (CVR), defined as the number of living cells over the total cell count, in pig kidneys using propidium iodide and fluorescein diacetate staining, as a function of time and preservation conditions. The kidneys were preserved in warm or cold ischemia in order to mimic the conditions of transplantation from non-heart-beating donors or multiple removal with optimal preservation of the graft, respectively. To determine the CVR, the cells were obtained by a fine-needle aspiration biopsy, which minimizes the damage to the graft.

[Lymphocele after kidney transplantation: drainage by laparoscopy].

Our video shows the laparoscopic drainage of a big lymphocele responsible of kidney graft obstructive failure. Apart from the laparoscopic access, the technique is similar to open surgery. An ellipsoid peritoneal window (approximately 6 x 3 cm) is created with scissors and electrocautery.

High incidence of ectopic nucleolar organizer regions in human testicular tumors.

Eight primary testicular germ cell tumors, one teratocarcinoma cell line, and one Leydig cell tumor were studied to determine the importance of modifications of the nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) in human testicular tumors. Cytogenetic analysis after silver staining showed active ectopic NORs in two primary embryonal carcinomas (EC) in the cell line and in single cells of each of two seminomas (S). In one EC, an ectopic NOR was localized to chromosomal region 1q4; the others were on unidentified rearranged chromosomes.

Traumatic rupture of the urinary tract in a patient presenting nephrogenic diabetes insipidus associated with hydronephrosis and chronic renal failure: case report and review of the literature.

We report the case of a 34-year-old Japanese man suffering from a nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) associated with bilateral hydronephrosis, hydroureters and enlarged trabeculated bladder without obstruction. He also presented with chronic renal failure which has rarely occurred in similar cases. The patient was admitted after a traumatic rupture of the left urinary tract which had never been described until now in NDI.