Infectious Aortitis Due to Species Masquerading as Lung Malignancy.

Infectious aortitis is a rare but devastating vascular infection with mortality exceeding 40%. Early diagnosis is crucial but often hampered by radiographic mimickers. We report a patient who was thought to have lung cancer but ultimately found to have an infected aortic aneurysm and bacteremia owing to species.

Atrial fibrillation as a presenting symptom of Cardiac Sarcoid.

We submit an unusual presentation of spontaneous atrial fibrillation in a young fit active-duty U.S. military African-American male without evidence of structural heart disease.

Cashew-Induced Oxalate Nephropathy: A Rare Cause of Acute Renal Failure.

We present a rare case of cashew-induced oxalate nephropathy in a 69 year old veteran male with history of type 2 diabetes mellitus, nephrolithiasis, and undiagnosed chronic kidney disease (CKD). Oxalate nephropathy is a rare cause of acute renal failure with poor prognosis. The various causes of oxalate nephropathy are categorized as primary or secondary hyperoxaluria.

A Case of Cardiac Papillary Fibroelastoma - An Increasingly Described Cardiac Tumor with Fatal Consequences.

Papillary fibroelastomas (PFE) are rare primary cardiac tumors characterized by non-malignant, pedunculated, endocardial lesions with a significant risk of embolic potential and death. With improvements in the imaging quality and availability of transthoracic echocardiograms (TTE), the diagnosis of PFE has become more common in the last 2 decades. PFE is changing from a rare "zebra" diagnosis to one that community providers will encounter in their practice and must appropriately treat to prevent morbidity and mortality.

Segmental Arterial Mediolysis (SAM) Leading to Chronic Renal Insufficiency.

Background: Segmental arterial mediolysis (SAM) is a rare self-limiting non-atherosclerotic, non-inflammatory vasculopathy. SAM typically affects the visceral arteries of the abdomen to include the celiac, mesenteric, and renal arteries. SAM has a favorable prognosis in most cases with an asymptomatic course but can have mortality rates as high as 50% due to acute aneurysmal rupture.

Cooperative catalysis with block copolymer micelles: a combinatorial approach.

A rapid approach to identifying complementary catalytic groups using combinations of functional polymers is presented. Amphiphilic polymers with "clickable" hydrophobic blocks were used to create a library of functional polymers, each bearing a single functionality. The polymers were combined in water, yielding mixed micelles.

Temperature-responsive solid-liquid separations with charged block-copolymers of poly(N-isopropyl acryamide).

Temperature responsive charged block-copolymers of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) have been used in the solid-liquid separation of alumina mineral particles from aqueous solution. The effects of temperature, polymer charge-sign and fraction of charged segment have been investigated. Batch settling and adsorption studies showed that rapid sedimentation results for suspensions with polymers of opposite charge-sign to the particle surface-charge (counterionic) at 50 °C.

Temperature responsive flocculation and solid-liquid separations with charged random copolymers of poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide).

Temperature-responsive random copolymers based on poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) with 15 mol% of either acrylic acid or dimethylaminoethyl acrylate quaternary chloride were prepared. The effect of the charge and its sign were investigated in the solid-liquid separation of silica and alumina mineral suspensions. The results were compared to PNIPAM homopolymer of similar molecular weight.

Solid-liquid separations with a temperature-responsive polymeric flocculant: effect of temperature and molecular weight on polymer adsorption and deposition.

The effects of temperature and molecular weight of the temperature-responsive polymer, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) were investigated in the solid-liquid separation of silica and alumina mineral particles. Suspensions dosed with PNIPAM at 25 degrees C were stable and did not settle. When the temperature was raised above the polymer lower critical solution temperature (LCST) (>32 degrees C), the suspensions were found to have high settling rates, large particle aggregate sizes and high suspension shear yield stresses (tau(y)).

Temperature controlled surface hydrophobicity and interaction forces induced by poly (N-isopropylacrylamide).

Poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) is a temperature responsive polymer. At temperature below its lower critical solution temperature (LCST 32 degrees C) PNIPAM is soluble in water and hydrophilic. At temperature above the LCST, the polymer becomes hydrophobic and insoluble in water.