Chemical and spectroscopic characterization of plutonium tetrafluoride.

Anhydrous plutonium tetrafluoride is an important intermediate in the production of metallic Pu. This historically important compound is also known to exist in at least two distinct, yet understudied hydrate forms, PuF·HO(s) (0.5 ≤ ≤ 2) and PuF·2.

Extraction of Nitric Acid and Uranium with DEHiBA under High Loading Conditions.

The mechanism by which high concentrations (1.5 M in -dodecane) of ,-di-2-ethylhexyl-isobutyramide (DEHiBA) extracts HNO and UO(NO) is under examination. Most prior studies have examined the extractant and the mechanism at a concentration of 1.

Development of Online pH Monitoring for Lactic, Malonic, Citric, and Oxalic Acids Based on Raman Spectroscopy Using Hierarchical Chemometric Modeling.

Online spectroscopic measurements can be used to provide unique insight into complex chemical systems, enabling new understanding and optimization of chemical processes. A key example of this is discussed here with the monitoring of pH of various acid systems in real-time. In this work the acids used in multiple chemical separations processes, such as TALSPEAK (Trivalent Actinide-Lanthanide Separation by Phosphorus reagent Extraction from Aqueous Komplexes) and oxalate precipitation, were characterized.

Second-generation distal attachment cuff for adenoma detection in screening colonoscopy: a randomized multicenter study.

Background And Aims: Randomized studies have demonstrated that a distal attachment cap with rubber side arms, the Endocuff Vision (ECV; Olympus America, Center Valley, Pa, USA), increased colonoscopic adenoma detection rate (ADR) in various mixed patient collectives. This is the first study to evaluate its use in a primary colonoscopic screening program.

Methods: Patients over age 55 years undergoing screening colonoscopy in 9 German private offices in Berlin and Hamburg were randomized to either the study group using ECV or the control group using high-definition colonoscopies (standard of care).

Measurement of local magnetic fields in actinide tetrafluorides.

Fluorine-19 magnetic shielding tensors have been measured in a series of actinide tetrafluorides (AnF) by solid state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Tetravalent actinide centers with 0-8 valence electrons can form tetrafluorides with the same monoclinic structure type, making these compounds an attractive choice for a systematic study of the variation in the electronic structure across the 5f row of the Periodic Table. Pronounced deviations from predictions based on localized valence electron models have been detected by these experiments, which suggests that this approach may be used as a quantitative probe of electronic correlations.

Prolonged Critical Illness and Demoralization: Curative Factors in Hospice Care in the Age of COVID-19.

In this case report, an elderly patient with COVID-19 pneumonia and a protracted intensive care course, who was unable to wean from mechanical ventilation, was transferred to the hospice unit for ventilator withdrawal and end of life care. Although symptom management was anticipated to focus on treating acute dyspnea, conditions mandated a shift to addressing the psychological challenges associated with prolonged critical illness. The interventions typical to hospice care-patient centered, family focused, and culturally sensitive-served to alleviate psychological symptoms of demoralization and despair, contributing to an outcome that pointed beyond pulmonary pathophysiology.

Sensor Fusion: Comprehensive Real-Time, On-Line Monitoring for Process Control via Visible, Near-Infrared, and Raman Spectroscopy.

On-line monitoring based on optical spectroscopy provides unprecedented insight into the chemical composition of process streams or batches. Amplifying this approach through utilizing multiple forms of optical spectroscopy in sensor fusion can greatly expand the number and type of chemical species that can be identified and quantified. This is demonstrated herein, on the analysis of used nuclear fuel recycling streams: highly complex processes with multiple target and interfering analytes.

Low Sensitivity of Simtomax Point of Care Test in Detection of Celiac Disease in a Prospective Multicenter Study.

Background & Aims: Point of care tests (POCTs) might be used to identify patients with undiagnosed celiac disease who require further evaluation. We performed a large multicenter study to determine the performance of a POCT for celiac disease and assessed celiac disease prevalence in endoscopy centers.

Methods: We performed a prospective study of 1055 patients (888 adults; median age, 48 yrs and 167 children; median age, 10 yrs) referred to 8 endoscopy centers in Germany, for various indications, from January 2016 through June 2017.

DNA barcoding Brooklyn (New York): A first assessment of biodiversity in Marine Park by citizen scientists.

DNA barcoding is both an important research and science education tool. The technique allows for quick and accurate species identification using only minimal amounts of tissue samples taken from any organism at any developmental phase. DNA barcoding has many practical applications including furthering the study of taxonomy and monitoring biodiversity.

A New Perspective on Vacuum-Assisted Closure for the Treatment of Anastomotic Leak Following Low Anterior Resection for Rectal Cancer, Is It Worthy?

Background: Anastomotic dehiscence is a common complication of anterior resection. In this work, we evaluate the management of the pelvic cavity after low rectal resection using vacuum closure (VAC) with a gastroscope, and we establish factors that determine the success of closure and analyzed the rate of ileostomy closure after leakage was resolved.

Patients And Methods: This is a descriptive case series analysis conducted at a tertiary hospital.

A Role for 2-Methyl Pyrrole in the Browning of 4-Oxopentanal and Limonene Secondary Organic Aerosol.

Reactions of ammonia or ammonium sulfate (AS) with carbonyls in secondary organic aerosol (SOA) produced from limonene are known to form brown carbon (BrC) with a distinctive absorption band at 505 nm. This study examined the browning processes in aqueous solutions of AS and 4-oxopentanal (4-OPA), which has a 1,4-dicarbonyl structural motif present in many limonene SOA compounds. Aqueous reactions of 4-OPA with AS were found to produce 2-methyl pyrrole (2-MP), which was detected by gas chromatography.

Incorporating spectroscopic on-line monitoring as a method of detection for a Lewis cell setup.

A Lewis cell was designed and constructed for investigating solvent extraction systems by spectrophotometrically monitoring both the organic and aqueous phases in real time. This new Lewis cell was tested and shown to perform well compared to other previously reported Lewis cell designs. The advantage of the new design is that the spectroscopic measurement allows determination of not only metal ion concentrations, but also information regarding chemical speciation - information not available with previous Lewis cell designs.

Cardiac manifestations of congenital LMNA-related muscular dystrophy in children: three case reports and recommendations for care.

Skeletal and cardiac muscle laminopathies, caused by mutations in the lamin A/C gene, have a clinical spectrum from congenital LMNA-related muscular dystrophy to later-onset Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy, limb girdle muscular dystrophy, and dilated cardiomyopathy. Although cardiac involvement is observed at all ages, it has only been well described in adults. We present the evolution of cardiac disease in three children with congenital muscular dystrophy presentation of LMNA-related muscular dystrophy.

Mucosal Inducible NO Synthase-Producing IgA+ Plasma Cells in Helicobacter pylori-Infected Patients.

The mucosal immune system is relevant for homeostasis, immunity, and also pathological conditions in the gastrointestinal tract. Inducible NO synthase (iNOS)-dependent production of NO is one of the factors linked to both antimicrobial immunity and pathological conditions. Upregulation of iNOS has been observed in human Helicobacter pylori infection, but the cellular sources of iNOS are ill defined.

Antimicrobial stewardship in long-term care facilities in Belgium: a questionnaire-based survey of nursing homes to evaluate initiatives and future developments.

Background: The use of antimicrobials is intense and often inappropriate in long-term care facilities. Antimicrobial resistance has increased in acute and chronic care facilities, including those in Belgium. Evidence is lacking concerning antimicrobial stewardship programmes in chronic care settings.

A rationally-designed chimeric KDM1A/KDM1B histone demethylase tower domain deletion mutant retaining enzymatic activity.

A target with therapeutic potential, lysine-specific demethylase 1A (KDM1A) is a regulator of gene expression whose tower domain is a protein-protein interaction motif. This domain facilitates the interaction of KDM1A with coregulators and multiprotein complexes that direct its activity to nucleosomes. We describe the design and characterization of a chimeric 'towerless' KDM1A, termed nΔ150 KDM1AΔTower KDM1B chimera (chKDM1AΔTower), which incorporates a region from the paralog lysine-specific demethylase 1B (KDM1B).

KDM1 class flavin-dependent protein lysine demethylases.

Flavin-dependent, lysine-specific protein demethylases (KDM1s) are a subfamily of amine oxidases that catalyze the selective posttranslational oxidative demethylation of methyllysine side chains within protein and peptide substrates. KDM1s participate in the widespread epigenetic regulation of both normal and disease state transcriptional programs. Their activities are central to various cellular functions, such as hematopoietic and neuronal differentiation, cancer proliferation and metastasis, and viral lytic replication and establishment of latency.

Endovascular repair of mitroaortic intervalvular fibrosa aneurysm after bentall surgery.

We report the first case of a successful transapical transcatheter treatment of a giant pseudoaneurysm originating from a rupture of the mitroaortic fibrosa that occurred 3 months after a Bentall procedure in a 81-year-old male patient. Because of the age of the patient and the location of the leak at the mitroaortic fibrosa, the risk of a conventional ascending aorta reoperation was considered too high, and a transcatheter approach was chosen. A transapical puncture was performed with a left minithoracotomy followed by a catheterization of the pseudoaneurysm neck and an 8-mm Amplatzer (St.

Time-averaged order parameter restraints in molecular dynamics simulations.

A method is described that allows experimental S(2) order parameters to be enforced as a time-averaged quantity in molecular dynamics simulations. The two parameters that characterize time-averaged restraining, the memory relaxation time and the weight of the restraining potential energy term in the potential energy function used in the simulation, are systematically investigated based on two model systems, a vector with one end restrained in space and a pentapeptide. For the latter it is shown that the backbone N-H order parameter of individual residues can be enforced such that the spatial fluctuations of quantities depending on atomic coordinates are not significantly perturbed.

Genetics/genomics and drug effects.

Differences in response to medications both in terms of clinical activity and side-effects have long been recognised by physicians. Genetics has been recently considered as a potential factor to explain part of this variability. Pharmacogenetics focuses on the variants within one or more candidate genes while pharmacogenomics evaluates the entire genome for associations with pharmacologic phenotypes.

Calprotectin and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in the differentiation of pre-renal and intrinsic acute kidney injury.

Background: Urinary calprotectin has recently been identified as a promising biomarker for the differentiation of pre-renal and intrinsic acute kidney injury (AKI). This study compares the diagnostic performance of calprotectin and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in this differential diagnosis.

Methods: Urinary calprotectin and NGAL concentrations were assessed in a study population of 87 subjects including 38 cases of intrinsic AKI, 24 cases of pre-renal AKI and 25 healthy controls.

Follow-up of radiologically totally implanted central venous access ports of the upper arm: long-term complications in 127,750 catheter-days.

Objective: The purpose of this article is to retrospectively evaluate radiologically totally implanted central venous access ports (VAPs) of the upper arm in terms of safety, technical feasibility, and device-related complications.

Materials And Methods: Five hundred seven consecutive patients (mean [± SD] age, 59.2 ± 11.