Oesophagomediastinal fistula: a rare complication of tuberculosis.

We report a case of a woman from Thailand, living in Malta, who was diagnosed with concomitant tuberculosis (TB) and HIV with depleted CD4 count. Her case was further complicated by the formation of a fistula between the mediastinal lymph nodes and the oesophagus, an unusual finding but for which she had many risk factors. The diagnosis was suspected on CT scan of the thorax and confirmed via upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Correction: The first wave of COVID-19 in Malta; a national cross-sectional study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

mucosal leishmaniasis in Malta.

We report a case of a 76-year-old British man living in Malta who presented with a 7-month history of recurrent epistaxis and an enlarging right nasal vestibular lesion. Of note, his medical history included rheumatoid arthritis for which he was on long-term methotrexate. Blood results were unremarkable other than a mild lymphopaenia.

The first wave of COVID-19 in Malta; a national cross-sectional study.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed major challenges to all aspects of healthcare. Malta's population density, large proportion of elderly and high prevalence of diabetes and obesity put the country at risk of uncontrolled viral transmission and high mortality. Despite this, Malta achieved low mortality rates compared to figures overseas.

Vitamin D and Ulcerative Colitis: Is There a Relationship with Disease Extent?

Introduction: Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) can suffer from low serum vitamin D that can result in complications such as low bone mineral density. It can also reflect underlying disease severity.

Methods: One hundred and ninety-seven patients previously diagnosed with UC from 2 European centers were prospectively recruited through the out-patient clinics.

A pyridinium/anilinium [2]catenane that operates as an acid-base driven optical switch.

A two-station [2]catenane containing a large macrocycle with two different recognition sites, one bis(pyridinium)ethane and one benzylanilinium, as well as a smaller ring was synthesized and characterized. H NMR spectroscopy showed that the ring can shuttle between the two recognition sites depending on the protonation state of the larger macrocycle. When the aniline group is neutral, the ring resides solely at the bis(pyridinium)ethane site, while addition of acid forms a charged benzylanilinium site.

Measuring markers of liver function using a micropatterned paper device designed for blood from a fingerstick.

This paper describes a paper-based microfluidic device that measures two enzymatic markers of liver function (alkaline phosphatase, ALP, and aspartate aminotransferase, AST) and total serum protein. A device consists of four components: (i) a top plastic sheet, (ii) a filter membrane, (iii) a patterned paper chip containing the reagents necessary for analysis, and (iv) a bottom plastic sheet. The device performs both the sample preparation (separating blood plasma from erythrocytes) and the assays; it also enables both qualitative and quantitative analysis of data.

Colour coding the co-conformations of a [2]rotaxane flip-switch.

Fine-tuning the charge transfer chromophores in a series of [2]rotaxane flip-switches yields a unique optical signal (purple colour) for one of the interactions allowing for facile determination of the position of the flip-switch equilibrium.

Paper microzone plates.

This paper describes 96- and 384-microzone plates fabricated in paper as alternatives to conventional multiwell plates fabricated in molded polymers. Paper-based plates are functionally related to plastic well plates, but they offer new capabilities. For example, paper-microzone plates are thin (approximately 180 microm), require small volumes of sample (5 microL per zone), and can be manufactured from inexpensive materials ($0.

Controlling the kinetics of contact electrification with patterned surfaces.

This communication describes a new approach for controlling static charging (contact electrification), and resulting electrical discharging, that occurs when two contacting materials separate. The prevention of contact electrification is an important problem; unwanted adhesion between oppositely charged materials, spark-initiated explosions, and damage to microelectronic circuitry are some of the deleterious effects of static charging. Current strategies for controlling contact electrification rely upon dissipating an accumulated charge by making contacting surfaces conductive and, therefore, can be difficult to implement with electrically insulating materials.

Optically sensed, molecular shuttles driven by acid-base chemistry.

A pair of bistable [2]rotaxane, molecular shuttles were prepared that combine 1,2-bis(pyridinium)ethane and benzylanilinium recognition sites; acid-base controlled shuttling of DB24C8 was accompanied by a change in colour and/or fluorescence intensity.

Push-pull [2]pseudorotaxanes. Electronic control of threading by switching ON/OFF an intramolecular charge transfer.

[reaction: see text] Addition of acid and base allows switching between two different structures in a push-pull bis(pyridinium)ethane axle, controlling its ability to form [2]pseudorotaxanes with a dibenzo-24-crown-8 ether wheel.

A mechanical "flip-switch". Interconversion between co-conformations of a [2]rotaxane with a single recognition site.

[2]Rotaxanes utilising the 1,2-bis(pyridinium)ethane, 24-crown-8 motif can exist in two distinct co-conformations whose relative abundances are solvent dependent.

A versatile template for the formation of [2]pseudorotaxanes. 1,2-Bis(pyridinium)ethane axles and 24-crown-8 ether wheels.

Linear 1,2-bis(pyridinium)ethane 'axles' and macrocyclic 24-membered crown ether 'wheels' (, and ) combine to form [2]pseudorotaxanes. These interpenetrated adducts are held together by N+..

[2]pseudorotaxane formation with N-benzylanilinium axles and 24-crown-8 ether wheels.

[reaction: see text] As a hybrid of the N,N-dibenzylammonium and 1,2-bis(pyridinium)ethane axles, various N-benzylanilinium cations were investigated as suitable axles for the formation of [2]pseudorotaxanes with the 24-membered crown ethers 24C8 and DB24C8. The effect of electron-donating OCH(3) and electron-withdrawing CF(3) groups on both the anilinium and benzyl aromatic rings was studied. Formation constants and structural details were compared to the [2]pseudorotaxanes formed by the two aforementioned dibenzylammonium and 1,2-bis(pyridinium)ethane axles.

Selective electroless metal deposition using microcontact printing of phosphine-phosphonic acid inks.

We report a low-cost approach to selectively deposit films of nickel and copper on glass substrates. Our approach uses microcontact printing of organic inks containing phosphonic acid groups to bind the ink to a glass substrate and phosphine groups to bind a colloidal catalyst that initiates electroless metallization. We demonstrate this procedure by fabricating patterned nickel and copper films with areas as large as 15 cm2 and minimum feature sizes of approximately 2 microm.