Controlling polyHIPE Surface Properties by Tuning the Hydrophobicity of MOF Particles Stabilizing a Pickering Emulsion.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) show promise for the capture of greenhouse gases. To be used at a large scale in fixed-bed processes, their shaping under a hierarchical structure is mandatory and remains a major challenge, while keeping available their high specific surface area. For that purpose, we propose herein an original method based on the stabilization of a paraffin-in-water Pickering emulsion by a fluorinated Zr MOF (UiO-66(F4)) with polyHIPEs (polymers from high internal phase emulsions) strategy consisting of the polymerization of monomers in the external phase.

Lead-vanadate sorbents for iodine trapping and their conversion into an iodoapatite-based conditioning matrix.

New lead-vanadate based sorbents were synthesized with the aim to entrap and confine gaseous iodine in off-gas streams coming from reprocessing facilities of spent nuclear fuel. Their synthesis relies on the shaping of a lead-vanadate, lead sulfide and alginic acid mix as millimetric beads. These beads were calcined between 220°C and 500°C to remove organic alginic compounds template.

Potential Role of Inflammation-Promoting Biliary Microbiome in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and Cholangiocarcinoma.

Background: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a major risk factor for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). We investigated biliary and fecal microbiota to determine whether specific microbes in the bile or stool are associated with PSC or CCA.

Methods: Bile was obtained from 32 patients with PSC, 23 with CCA with PSC, 26 with CCA without PSC, and 17 controls.

Comparative Performance of Quantitative and Qualitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging Metrics in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.

Background And Aims: Several quantitative and qualitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) metrics have been reported to predict outcomes among those with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). We aimed to compare the reproducibility and prognostic performances of MRI biomarkers and examine if combining these measurements adds value.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 388 patients with PSC who underwent a magnetic resonance elastography and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography.

A pilot study of vidofludimus calcium for treatment of primary sclerosing cholangitis.

The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of vidofludimus calcium (VC) in the treatment of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). This was a single-arm open-label pilot study with a cohort of 18 patients with PSC. Study patients received VC for a period of 6 months.

Isotropic and Anisotropic g-Factor Corrections in GaAs Quantum Dots.

We experimentally determine isotropic and anisotropic g-factor corrections in lateral GaAs single-electron quantum dots. We extract the Zeeman splitting by measuring the tunnel rates into the individual spin states of an empty quantum dot for an in-plane magnetic field with various strengths and directions. We quantify the Zeeman energy and find a linear dependence on the magnetic field strength that allows us to extract the g factor.

Signature of Many-Body Localization of Phonons in Strongly Disordered Superlattices.

Many-body localization (MBL) has attracted significant attention because of its immunity to thermalization, role in logarithmic entanglement entropy growth, and opportunities to reach exotic quantum orders. However, experimental realization of MBL in solid-state systems has remained challenging. Here, we report evidence of a possible phonon MBL phase in disordered GaAs/AlAs superlattices.

Artificial Coherent States of Light by Multiphoton Interference in a Single-Photon Stream.

Coherent optical states consist of a quantum superposition of different photon number (Fock) states, but because they do not form an orthogonal basis, no photon number states can be obtained from it by linear optics. Here we demonstrate the reverse, by manipulating a random continuous single-photon stream using quantum interference in an optical Sagnac loop, we create engineered quantum states of light with tunable photon statistics, including approximate weak coherent states. We demonstrate this experimentally using a true single-photon stream produced by a semiconductor quantum dot in an optical microcavity, and show that we can obtain light with g^{(2)}(0)→1 in agreement with our theory, which can only be explained by quantum interference of at least 3 photons.

Moiré pattern of interference dislocations in condensate of indirect excitons.

Interference patterns provide direct measurement of coherent propagation of matter waves in quantum systems. Superfluidity in Bose-Einstein condensates of excitons can enable long-range ballistic exciton propagation and can lead to emerging long-scale interference patterns. Indirect excitons (IXs) are formed by electrons and holes in separated layers.

Bile Acid Profiles in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and Their Ability to Predict Hepatic Decompensation.

Background And Aims: Altered bile acid (BA) homeostasis is an intrinsic facet of cholestatic liver diseases, but clinical usefulness of plasma BA assessment in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) remains understudied. We performed BA profiling in a large retrospective cohort of patients with PSC and matched healthy controls, hypothesizing that plasma BA profiles vary among patients and have clinical utility.

Approach And Results: Plasma BA profiling was performed in the Clinical Biochemical Genetics Laboratory at Mayo Clinic using a mass spectrometry based assay.

Microstructural and rheological investigation of upcycled metal-organic frameworks stabilized Pickering emulsions.

Hypothesis: Stabilizing Pickering emulsions with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is a known way to incorporate them into hierarchically porous materials. Studies generally focus on their final properties and emulsion microstructures are rarely precisely described. Our hypothesis was that characterizing the microstructural and rheological properties of Pickering emulsions stabilized solely by Al-based MOFs (MIL-96) particles would provide insights into how to control their stability and workability for potential industrial applications.

A national study of personal accomplishment, burnout, and satisfaction with work-life integration among advance practice nurses relative to other workers.

Background: There is a high prevalence of burnout among health care professionals, but little remains known about burnout and satisfaction with work-life integration (WLI) among advance practice nurses (APNs).

Purpose: To evaluate burnout and satisfaction with WLI among APNs compared with other US workers.

Methods: A national sample of APNs and a probability-based sample of US workers completed a survey that measured burnout and satisfaction with WLI.

Liver Stiffness Measured by Either Magnetic Resonance or Transient Elastography Is Associated With Liver Fibrosis and Is an Independent Predictor of Outcomes Among Patients With Primary Biliary Cholangitis.

Goals: We aimed to describe the diagnostic and prognostic performance of transient elastography (TE) and magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) in patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC).

Background: The diagnostic performance of TE and MRE in detecting advanced fibrosis in PBC and in predicting outcomes independent of existing serologic prognostic markers is incompletely understood.

Materials And Methods: Five hundred thirty-eight consecutive patients with PBC at 3 centers with liver stiffness (LS) measurements by TE (n=286) or MRE (n=332) were reviewed.

Early Cholangiocarcinoma Detection With Magnetic Resonance Imaging Versus Ultrasound in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.

Background And Aims: Early detection of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) among patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is important to identify more people eligible for curative therapy. While many recommend CCA screening, there are divergent opinions and limited data regarding the use of ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for early CCA detection, and it is unknown whether there is benefit in testing asymptomatic individuals. Our aims were to assess the diagnostic performances and prognostic implications of ultrasound and MRI-based CCA detection.

Anisotropic thermal conductivity of the nanoparticles embedded GaSb thin film semiconductor.

The prior theoretical model shows that GaSb is one of the few non-alloy semiconductors showing phonons ballistic effect in the thermal conductivity. However, no previous literature had been reported on the experimental measurements on the quasi-ballistic thermal transport of the GaSb thin film. In this paper, we employed the time-domain thermoreflectance (TDTR) to study the thermal transport of nanoparticles embedded GaSb thin film.

ErAs:In(Al)GaAs photoconductor-based time domain system with 4.5 THz single shot bandwidth and emitted terahertz power of 164 µW.

Superlattice structures of In(Al)GaAs with localized ErAs trap centers feature excellent material properties for terahertz (THz) generation and detection. The carrier lifetime of these materials as emitter and receiver has been measured as 1.76 ps and 0.

Low Dark Current 1.55 Micrometer InAs Quantum Dash Waveguide Photodiodes.

Photodiodes and integrated optical receivers operating at 1.55 micrometer (μm) wavelength are crucial for long-haul communication and data transfer systems. In this paper, we report C-band InAs quantum dash (Qdash) waveguide photodiodes (PDs) with a record-low dark current of 5 pA, a responsivity of 0.

Nursing Care of Patients With Cirrhosis: The LiverHope Nursing Project.

Cirrhosis is a complex disease that is associated with disturbances in different organs besides the liver, including kidneys, heart, arterial circulation, lungs, gut, and brain. As a consequence, patients develop a number of complications that result in frequent hospital admissions and high morbidity and mortality. Patients with cirrhosis require constant and rigorous monitoring both in and outside the hospital.

An update on primary sclerosing cholangitis epidemiology, outcomes and quantification of alkaline phosphatase variability in a population-based cohort.

Background: Contemporary primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) population-based cohorts describing the epidemiology, natural history, and long-term fluctuations in serum alkaline phosphatase (SAP) and their prognostic relevance are lacking. Therefore, we investigated the incidence and natural history of PSC and quantified SAP fluctuations among those with PSC in Olmsted County, Minnesota over the last 41 years.

Methods: The Rochester Epidemiology Project was used to identify 56 subjects diagnosed with PSC between 1976 and 2017 in Olmsted County.

High Internal Phase Emulsions Stabilized by a Zeolite-Surfactant Combination in a Composition-Dependent Manner.

As a step toward synthesizing zeolite-based porous materials, this study demonstrates for the first time the feasibility of stabilizing oil-in-water (O/W) high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) using a cationic surfactant (tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide, TTAB) and "homemade" submicronic Linde type A zeolite particles. The zeolite particles are hydrophilic and therefore do not attach to dodecane-water interfaces, but surface tension measurements and electrochemical data show that their surface can be activated by the electrostatic and subsequent hydrophobic adsorption of TTAB. Comparing the adsorption isotherm of TTAB and zeta potential of the particles with the droplet sizes and rheological properties of the emulsion shows that the stabilization mechanism depends on the TTAB/zeolite weight ratio.

Changes in Liver Stiffness, Measured by Magnetic Resonance Elastography, Associated With Hepatic Decompensation in Patients With Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.

Background & Aims: Single measurements of liver stiffness (LS) by magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) have been associated with outcomes of patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), but the significance of changes in LS over time are unclear. We investigated associations between changes in LS measurement and progression of PSC.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 204 patients with patients who underwent 2 MREs at a single center between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2018.

Controlled imbibition in a porous medium from a soft wet material (poultice).

We provide a first approach of the mechanisms of liquid imbibition in a porous medium from a wet paste in contact with this substrate. Through Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) we first show that, in contrast with intuition, the liquid can invade the substrate even if it has a larger pore size than the paste, which induces a lower capillary pressure in the substrate. This phenomenon happens because the paste can easily shrink.

Spectroscopy of Quantum Dot Orbitals with In-Plane Magnetic Fields.

We show that in-plane magnetic-field-assisted spectroscopy allows extraction of the in-plane orientation and full 3D size parameters of the quantum mechanical orbitals of a single electron GaAs lateral quantum dot with subnanometer precision. The method is based on measuring the orbital energies in a magnetic field with various strengths and orientations in the plane of the 2D electron gas. From such data, we deduce the microscopic confinement potential landscape and quantify the degree by which it differs from a harmonic oscillator potential.

Efficacy and safety of curcumin in primary sclerosing cholangitis: an open label pilot study.

To assess if curcumin improves markers of cholestasis among subjects with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). PSC is a chronic cholestatic liver disorder for which there is no established medical therapy. Preclinical data suggest curcumin may have a beneficial effect in PSC.