Robotic-Assisted Cholecystoduodenal Fistula and Bile Leak Repair.

Cholelithiasis and its complications are among the most prevalent and costly medical conditions in the United States. Chronic gallbladder disease can progress into more complicated conditions, such as a cholecystoenteric fistula and, more specifically, a cholecystoduodenal fistula (CDF). Repair of these fistulas is complex and usually performed with an open approach.

Synthesis of PtNi Nanoparticles to Accelerate the Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

We report the synthesis of core-shell Ni-Pt nanoparticles (NPs) with varying degrees of crystallographic facets and surface layers rich in Pt via a seed-mediated thermolytic approach. Mixtures of different surfactants used during synthesis resulted in preferential surface passivation, which in turn dictated the size, chemical composition, and geometric evolution of these PtNi NPs. Electrochemical investigations of these pristine core-shell Ni-Pt structures in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) show that their catalytic functionalities outperform the commercial Pt/C reference catalyst.

Platinum-Catalysed Selective Aerobic Oxidation of Methane to Formaldehyde in the Presence of Liquid Water.

The aerobic, selective oxidation of methane to C -oxygenates remains a challenge, due to the more facile, consecutive oxidation of formed products to CO . Here, we report on the aerobic selective oxidation of methane under continuous flow conditions, over platinum-based catalysts yielding formaldehyde with a high selectivity (reaching 90 % for Pt/TiO and 65 % over Pt/Al O ) upon co-feeding water. The presence of liquid water under reaction conditions increases the activity strongly attaining a methane conversion of 1-3 % over Pt/TiO .

Formation of Pt-Based Alloy Nanoparticles Assisted by Molybdenum Hexacarbonyl.

We report on an optimized, scalable solution-phase synthetic procedure for the fabrication of fine-tuned monodisperse nanostructures (Pt(NiCo), PtNi and PtCo). The influence of different solute metal precursors and surfactants on the morphological evolution of homogeneous alloy nanoparticles (NPs) has been investigated. Molybdenum hexacarbonyl (Mo(CO)) was used as the reductant.

Cecal volvulus complicated by evisceration case report.

This case of bowel obstruction with multiple postoperative complications provides unique insight into the challenges faced by providers caring for intellectually disabled patients with acute surgical abdominal pathology and poor compliance. In this case, the component separation was utilized as a method of facilitated wound closure and compliance in a postoperative course highlighted by both dehiscence and wound infection. The patient, only able to communicate the presence of abdominal pain due to his disability, was surgically managed for a bowel obstruction secondary to a cecal volvulus.

Clinician Variation in Ordering and Completion of Low-Dose Computed Tomography for Lung Cancer Screening in a Safety-Net Medical System.

Background: Less than 5% of eligible individuals in the United States undergo lung cancer screening. Variation in clinicians' participation in lung cancer screening has not been determined.

Patients And Methods: We studied medical providers who ordered ≥ 1 low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for lung cancer screening from February 2017 through February 2019 in an integrated safety-net healthcare system.

Performance of a NiFeO@Co Core-Shell Fischer-Tropsch Catalyst: Effect of Low Temperature Reduction.

In situ TEM gas-cell imaging and spectroscopy with in situ XRD have been applied to reveal morphological changes in NiFeO@CoO core-shell nanoparticles in hydrogen. The core-shell structure is retained upon reduction under mild conditions (180 °C for 1 h), resulting in a partially reduced shell. The core-shell structure was retained after exposing these reduced NiFeO@CoO core-shell nanoparticles to Fischer-Tropsch conditions at 230 °C and 20 bar.

Topographical and compositional engineering of core-shell Ni@Pt ORR electro-catalysts.

Complex faceted geometries and compositional anisotropy in alloy nanoparticles (NPs) can enhance catalytic performance. We report on the preparation of binary PtNi NPs a co-thermolytic approach in which we optimize the synthesis variables, which results in significantly improved catalytic performance. We used scanning transmission electron microscopy to characterise the range of morphologies produced, which included spherical and concave cuboidal core-shell structures.

Thermal Properties and Segregation Behavior of Pt Nanowires Modified with Au, Ag, and Pd Atoms: A Classical Molecular Dynamics Study.

Platinum nanowires (NWs) have been reported to be catalytically active toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The edge modification of Pt NWs with metals ( = Au, Ag, or Pd) may have a positive impact on the overall ORR activity by facilitating diffusion of adsorbed oxygen, O, and hydroxyl groups, OH, between the {001} and {111} terraces. In the present study, we have employed classical molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the segregation behavior of Au, Ag, and Pd decorating the edges of Pt NWs.

Metal-support interaction on cobalt based FT catalysts - a DFT study of model inverse catalysts.

It is challenging to isolate the effect of metal-support interactions on catalyst reaction performance. In order to overcome this problem, inverse catalysts can be prepared in the laboratory and characterized and tested at relevant conditions. Inverse catalysts are catalysts where the precursor to the catalytically active phase is bonded to a support-like ligand.

Symptomatic Bipartite Medial Cuneiform: Report of Five Cases and Review of the Literature.

Unlabelled: Bipartition of the medial cuneiform is a well-described but rarely seen anatomic variant. The majority of literature focuses on anatomic description and incidents based on studies of archeological collections. Symptomatic cases can be overlooked or misdiagnosed initially given the vague complaint of pain either chronic in nature or following an acute injury that could result in a myriad of foot conditions.

Size-dependent phase transformation of catalytically active nanoparticles captured in situ.

The utilization of metal nanoparticles traverses across disciplines and we continue to explore the intrinsic size-dependent properties that make them so unique. Ideal nanoparticle formulation to improve a process's efficiency is classically presented as exposing a greater surface area to volume ratio through decreasing the nanoparticle size. Although, the physiochemical characteristics of the nanoparticles, such as phase, structure, or behavior, may be influenced by the nature of the environment in which the nanoparticles are subjected1, 2 and, in some cases, could potentially lead to unwanted side effects.

A thermophilic ionic liquid-tolerant cellulase cocktail for the production of cellulosic biofuels.

Generation of biofuels from sugars in lignocellulosic biomass is a promising alternative to liquid fossil fuels, but efficient and inexpensive bioprocessing configurations must be developed to make this technology commercially viable. One of the major barriers to commercialization is the recalcitrance of plant cell wall polysaccharides to enzymatic hydrolysis. Biomass pretreatment with ionic liquids (ILs) enables efficient saccharification of biomass, but residual ILs inhibit both saccharification and microbial fuel production, requiring extensive washing after IL pretreatment.

Synthesis of three advanced biofuels from ionic liquid-pretreated switchgrass using engineered Escherichia coli.

One approach to reducing the costs of advanced biofuel production from cellulosic biomass is to engineer a single microorganism to both digest plant biomass and produce hydrocarbons that have the properties of petrochemical fuels. Such an organism would require pathways for hydrocarbon production and the capacity to secrete sufficient enzymes to efficiently hydrolyze cellulose and hemicellulose. To demonstrate how one might engineer and coordinate all of the necessary components for a biomass-degrading, hydrocarbon-producing microorganism, we engineered a microorganism naïve to both processes, Escherichia coli, to grow using both the cellulose and hemicellulose fractions of several types of plant biomass pretreated with ionic liquids.

Microbial production of fatty-acid-derived fuels and chemicals from plant biomass.

Increasing energy costs and environmental concerns have emphasized the need to produce sustainable renewable fuels and chemicals. Major efforts to this end are focused on the microbial production of high-energy fuels by cost-effective 'consolidated bioprocesses'. Fatty acids are composed of long alkyl chains and represent nature's 'petroleum', being a primary metabolite used by cells for both chemical and energy storage functions.

Metabolic engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for the production of n-butanol.

Background: Increasing energy costs and environmental concerns have motivated engineering microbes for the production of "second generation" biofuels that have better properties than ethanol.

Results And Conclusion: Saccharomyces cerevisiae was engineered with an n-butanol biosynthetic pathway, in which isozymes from a number of different organisms (S. cerevisiae, Escherichia coli, Clostridium beijerinckii, and Ralstonia eutropha) were substituted for the Clostridial enzymes and their effect on n-butanol production was compared.

Biofuel alternatives to ethanol: pumping the microbial well.

Engineered microorganisms are currently used for the production of food products, pharmaceuticals, ethanol fuel and more. Even so, the enormous potential of this technology has yet to be fully exploited. The need for sustainable sources of transportation fuels has generated a tremendous interest in technologies that enable biofuel production.

Some insights in the sonochemical preparation of cobalt nano-particles.

The preparation of cobalt nano-particles from a solution of Co(CO)(3)(NO) in n-decane under ultrasonication with a frequency of 20 kHz yielded cobalt particles of a size of ca. 5 nm. The presence of either silica or oleic acid in the solution reduced the particle size to ca.