Opportunities and Solutions: Unintentional Weight Loss.

In this narrative review, the authors provide a concise overview of current information on the identification and management of unintentional weight loss (UWL) in clinical care settings. Unintended weight loss can occur widely and is often multifactorial. Clinicians should use screening tools to identify those experiencing UWL.

The impact of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist on the gastric residue in upper endoscopy.

Aim: We aimed to investigate the association between Glucagon-like-peptide-1 receptors agonists (GLP1-RA) use and gastric residue on esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD).

Methods: A multicenter, retrospective study included all EGDs conducted across seven gastroenterology departments. EGDs with the diagnosis of "poor preparation" or described as a poor preparation in the endoscopist's report were considered as gastric residue.

Hiatal hernia: risk factors, and clinical and endoscopic aspects in gastroscopy.

Background: Hiatal hernia (HH) is a common finding in gastroscopy. The aim of the present study was to investigate the frequency rate of HH among patients who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) according to their age, gender, and procedural indication.

Methods: A multicenter, retrospective study including all EGDs was conducted across seven endoscopy departments between 2016 and 2021.

A Patient-Centered Approach to Communication during Endoscopic Procedures: The Importance of Providing Information to Patients.

The study aimed to explore patients' experiences and perceptions throughout the various stages of endoscopic procedures and examine the association between patient-centered communication and the patient's experience. A total of 191 patients responded to pre- and post-procedure surveys that inquired about fear and pain, patients' satisfaction regarding the information provided to them, perceptions and experience. Pain was associated with post-procedure fear (r = 0.

Resin-supported iridium complex for low-temperature vanillin hydrogenation using formic acid in water.

Biorefinery seeks to utilize biomass waste streams as a source of chemical precursors with which to feed the chemical industry. This goal seeks to replace petroleum as the main feedstock, however this task requires the development of efficient catalysts capable of transforming substances derived from biomass into useful chemical products. In this study, we demonstrate that a highly-active iridium complex can be solid-supported and used as a low-temperature catalyst for both the decomposition of formic acid (FA) to produce hydrogen, and as a hydrogenation catalyst to produce vanillyl alcohol (VA) and 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol (MMP) from vanillin (V); a lignin-derived feedstock.

Not-So-Innocent Anions Determine the Mechanism of Cationic Alkylators.

Alkylating reagents based on thioimidazolium ionic liquids were synthesized and the influence of the anion on the alkylation reaction mechanism explored in detail using both experimental and computational methods. Thioimidazolium cations transfer alkyl substituents to nucleophiles, however the reaction rate was highly dependent on anion identity, demonstrating that the anion is not innocent in the mechanism. Detailed analysis of the computationally-derived potential energy surfaces associated with possible mechanisms indicated that this dependence arises from a combination of anion induced electronic, steric and coordinating effects, with highly nucleophilic anions catalyzing a 2-step process while highly non-nucleophilic, delocalized anions favor a 1-step reaction.

Ionic Liquid Lignosulfonate: Dispersant and Binder for Preparation of Biocomposite Materials.

Ionic liquid lignins are prepared from sodium lignosulfonate by a cation exchange reaction and display glass transition temperatures as low as -13 °C. Diethyleneglycol-functionalized protic cations inhibit lignin aggregation to produce a free-flowing "ionic liquid lignin", despite it being a high-molecular-weight polyelectrolyte. Through this approach, the properties of both lignin and ionic liquids are combined to create a dispersant and binder for cellulose+gluten mixtures to produce small microphases.

Child health and the possibilities for childcare in a context of poverty and food insecurity: The narratives of parents attending a self-managed foodbank in Spain.

Food insecurity would influence children's health and development through its effects on nutrition and household stress in the context of broader poverty-related problems. This study contributes to research regarding the characterisation of food-insecure households with children under the age of 18. In particular, it highlights the social and institutional aspects which influence and interact with parents' attempts to protect their children from hunger and destitution.

Porous polycarbene-bearing membrane actuator for ultrasensitive weak-acid detection and real-time chemical reaction monitoring.

Soft actuators with integration of ultrasensitivity and capability of simultaneous interaction with multiple stimuli through an entire event ask for a high level of structure complexity, adaptability, and/or multi-responsiveness, which is a great challenge. Here, we develop a porous polycarbene-bearing membrane actuator built up from ionic complexation between a poly(ionic liquid) and trimesic acid (TA). The actuator features two concurrent structure gradients, i.

Formation and Properties of Poly(Ionic Liquid)-Carbene Nanogels Containing Individually Stabilized Silver Species.

Imidazolium-based ionic liquids have the ability to undergo a variety of chemical reactions through an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) intermediate, which has expanded the chemical toolbox for new applications. Despite their uses and exploration, the carbene-forming properties and applications of their polymeric congeners, poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs), is still underdeveloped. Herein, we explore the NHC-forming properties of a theophylline-derived PIL for nanogel synthesis.

Thioimidazolium Ionic Liquids as Tunable Alkylating Agents.

Alkylating ionic liquids based on the thioimidazolium structure combine the conventional properties of ionic liquids, including low melting point and nonvolatility, with the alkylating function. Alkyl transfer occurs exclusively from the S-alkyl position, thus allowing for easy derivatization of the structure without compromising specificity. We apply this feature to tune the electrophilicty of the cation to profoundly affect the reactivity of these alkylating ionic liquids, with a caffeine-derived compound possessing the highest reactivity.

Flexible and Actuating Nanoporous Poly(Ionic Liquid)-Paper-Based Hybrid Membranes.

Porous and flexible actuating materials are important for the development of smart systems. We report here a facile method to prepare scalable, flexible actuating porous membranes based on a poly(ionic liquid)-modified tissue paper. The targeted membrane property profile was based on synergy of the gradient porous structure of a poly(ionic liquid) network and flexibility of a tissue paper.

Plants to Polyelectrolytes: Theophylline Polymers and Their Microsphere Synthesis.

To extend fossil oil supplies, sustainable feed stocks for the production of useful reagents and polymers should be harnessed. In this regard, chemicals derived from plants are excellent candidates. While the vast majority of plant sources used for polymer science only contain C H O , alkaloids such as caffeine, nicotine, and theophylline possess nitrogen functionality that can provide new functions for bioderived polymers and their synthesis.

Trends in Hydrophilicity/Lipophilicity of Phosphonium Ionic Liquids As Determined by Ion-Transfer Electrochemistry.

Ionic liquids (ILs) have become valuable new materials for a broad spectrum of applications including additives or components for new hydrophobic/hydrophilic polymer coatings. However, fundamental information surrounding IL molecular properties is still lacking. With this in mind, the microinterface between two immiscible electrolytic solutions (micro-ITIES), for example, water|1,2-dichloroethane, has been used to evaluate the hydrophobicity/lipophilicity of 10 alkylphosphonium ILs.

Harnessing Poly(ionic liquid)s for Sensing Applications.

The interest in poly(ionic liquid)s for sensing applications is derived from their strong interactions to a variety of analytes. By combining the desirable mechanical properties of polymers with the physical and chemical properties of ILs, new materials can be created. The tunable nature of both ionic liquids and polymers allows for incredible diversity, which is exemplified in their broad applicability.

Phosphane-ene chemistry: the reactivity of air-stable primary phosphines and their compatibility with the thiol-ene reaction.

Air-sensitive and air-stable primary phosphines (RPH2) were compared for their ability to undergo photoinitiated phosphane-ene chemistry with 1-hexene. Despite their increased air-stability, the primary phosphines displayed equal to or greater reactivity when compared to air-sensitive alkyl or aryl analogues. The phosphane-ene reaction was also performed in the presence of 1-octanethiol to determine whether thiol-ene and phosphane-ene chemistries could proceed simultaneously.

Kinetically controlled patterning of highly cross-linked phosphonium photopolymers using simple anion exchange.

A phosphonium salt possessing three methacrylate groups has been incorporated into a photopolymeric system to generate highly cross-linked polyelectrolyte networks. Emergent chemical and physical properties in the polymers were observed and attributed to the tandem increase in cross-link density and ion-content upon incorporation of the self-cross-linking cation. Anion-exchange with bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide or dodecylbenzenesulfonate resulted in significant differences in wettability and ion-exchange behavior.

Contact active antibacterial phosphonium coatings cured with UV light.

Described here is a simple and versatile approach for the preparation of antibacterial phosphonium-based coatings through the curing of a polymerizable tributylphosphonium monomer using UV light. The resulting surfaces resist bacterial growth and adhesion, even at high bacterial loadings up to 10 colony forming units per cm.

Anion-exchange reactions on a robust phosphonium photopolymer for the controlled deposition of ionic gold nanoclusters.

UV curing (photopolymerization) is ubiquitous in many facets of industry ranging from the application of paints, pigments, and barrier coatings all the way to fiber optic cable production. To date no reports have focused on polymerizable phosphonium salts under UV irradiation, and despite this dearth of examples, they potentially offer numerous substantial advantages to traditional UV formulation components. We have generated a highly novel coating based on UV-curable trialkylacryloylphosphonium salts that allow for the fast (seconds) and straightforward preparation of ion-exchange surfaces amenable to a roll-to-roll process.

[The use of thermal analysis in developing chemical tests of sterilization].

A number of chemicals have been examined to find out whether they can be employed to test the temperature regimens of vapor and hot-air sterilization methods. Test kits for various temperature ranges and different sterilization modes have been selected. It is advisable that stains be used in tests (except the sulfur one) to control vapor (but not hot-air) sterilization.