New Processes for Ionizing Nonvolatile Compounds in Mass Spectrometry: The Road of Discovery to Current State-of-the-Art.

This covers discovery and mechanistic aspects as well as initial applications of novel ionization processes for use in mass spectrometry that guided us in a series of subsequent discoveries, instrument developments, and commercialization. matrix-assisted ionization on an intermediate pressure matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization source the use of a laser, high voltages, or any other added energy was simply unbelievable, at first. Individually and as a whole, the various discoveries and inventions started to paint, , an exciting new picture and outlook in mass spectrometry from which key developments grew that were at the time unimaginable, and continue to surprise us in its simplistic preeminence.

Force re-development after shortening reveals a role for titin in stretch-shortening performance enhancement in skinned muscle fibres.

Stretch-shortening cycles (SSCs) involve muscle lengthening (eccentric contractions) instantly followed by shortening (concentric contractions). This combination enhances force, work and power output compared with pure shortening contractions, which is known as the SSC effect. Recent evidence indicates both cross-bridge (XB)-based and non-XB-based (e.

Impact of lengthening velocity on the generation of eccentric force by slow-twitch muscle fibers in long stretches.

After an initial increase, isovelocity elongation of a muscle fiber can lead to diminishing (referred to as Give in the literature) and subsequently increasing force. How the stretch velocity affects this behavior in slow-twitch fibers remains largely unexplored. Here, we stretched fully activated individual rat soleus muscle fibers from 0.

Low molar mass cyclic poly(L-lactide)s: separate transesterification reactions of cycles and linear chains in the solid state.

L-Lactide (LA) was polymerized with neat tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate (SnOct) in toluene at 115 °C at low concentration with variation of the LA/Cat ratio. Cyclic polylactides (cPLAs) with number average molecular weights () between 7000 and 17 000 were obtained. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry also revealed the formation of a few percent of linear chains.

Solvent-free sample preparation for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry of polymer blends.

Rationale: Solvent-free sample preparation offers some advantages over solvent-based techniques, such as improved accuracy, reproducibility and sensitivity, for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) analysis. However, little or no information is available on the application of solvent-free techniques for the MALDI analysis of polymer blends.

Methods: Solvent-free sample preparation by ball milling was applied with varying sample-to-matrix ratios for MALDI time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis of various polymers, including polystyrenes, poly(methyl methacrylate)s and poly(ethylene glycol)s.

Muscle preflex response to perturbations in locomotion: experiments and simulations with realistic boundary conditions.

Neuromuscular control loops feature substantial communication delays, but mammals run robustly even in the most adverse conditions. experiments and computer simulation results suggest that muscles' preflex-an immediate mechanical response to a perturbation-could be the critical contributor. Muscle preflexes act within a few milliseconds, an order of magnitude faster than neural reflexes.

Thermal desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for investigating the thermal degradation of polyurethanes.

Thermal Desorption Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) was used to investigate the thermal degradation of two different polyurethanes (PUs). PU samples were heated at different heating rates and the desorbed products were collected in a cold injection system and thereafter submitted to GC-MS. The prospects and limitations of the detection and quantification of semi-volatile degradation products were investigated.

Impact of the new ultra-high sensitivity mode in a long axial field-of-view PET/CT.

Objective: Long axial field-of-view (LAFOV) PET/CT showed improved performance resulting from higher sensitivity. The aim was to quantify the impact of using the full acceptance angle (UHS) in image reconstructions with the Biograph Vision Quadra LAFOV PET/CT (Siemens Healthineers) compared to the limited acceptance angle (high sensitivity mode, HS).

Methods: 38 oncological patients examined on a LAFOV Biograph Vision Quadra PET/CT were analysed.

[Digitally supported rheumatological screening consultation : How useful is a questionnaire scoring system (RhePort)?].

Regarding scarce capacities an early detection consultation (EDC) was established to discriminate patients in an outpatient setting with inflammatory from non-inflammatory rheumatic diseases. A total of 500 patients suspected of having a rheumatic disease received an appointment within 2 weeks. They were interviewed with the help of a digital questionnaire (RhePort), briefly physically examined followed by a determination of CRP.

New poly(ether-phosphoramide)s sulfides based on green resources as sensitive films for the specific impedimetric detection of nickel ions.

For the development of selective and sensitive chemical sensors, we have developed a new family of poly(ether-phosphoramide) polymers. These polymers were obtained with satisfactory yields by nucleophilic aromatic polycondensation using isosorbide as green resources, and bisphenol A with two novel difluoro phosphinothioic amide monomers. Unprecedented, the thiophosphorylated aminoheterocycles monomers, functionalized with two heterocyclic amine, N-methylpiperazine and morpholine were successfully obtained by nucleophilic substitution reaction of P(S)-Cl compound.

How velocity impacts eccentric force generation of fully activated skinned skeletal muscle fibers in long stretches.

Ecccentric muscle contractions are fundamental to everyday life. They occur markedly in jumping, running, and accidents. Following an initial force rise, stretching of a fully activated muscle can result in a phase of decreasing force ("") followed by force redevelopment.

High linear poly(l-lactide)s prepared alcohol-initiated ROPs of l-lactide.

Alcohol-initiated ROPs of l-lactide were performed in bulk at 160 °C for 72 h with variation of the catalyst or with variation of the initiator (aliphatic alcohols). Spontaneous crystallization was only observed when cyclic Sn(ii) compounds were used as a catalyst. Regardless of initiator, high melting crystallites with melting temperatures ( ) of 189-193 °C were obtained in almost all experiments with Sn(ii) 2,2'-dioxybiphenyl (SnBiph) as catalyst, even when the time was shortened to 24 h.

Formation Mechanism of a Nano-Ring of Bismuth Cations and Mono-Lacunary Keggin-Type Phosphomolybdate.

A new hetero-bimetallic polyoxometalate (POM) nano-ring was synthesized in a one-pot procedure. The structure consists of tetrameric units containing four bismuth-substituted monolacunary Keggin anions including distorted [BiO ] cubes. The nano-ring is formed via self-assembly from metal precursors in aqueous acidic medium.

The Impact of Rapid On-Site Evaluation on the Quality and Diagnostic Value of Thyroid Nodule Fine-Needle Aspirations.

Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is the preferred method to evaluate the dignity of thyroid nodules. Nevertheless, the often-reported high nondiagnostic rate burdens affected patients and the health care system. Rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) constitutes an addition to the thyroid FNA procedure, with various studies showing its beneficial effect on the Bethesda I nondiagnostic rate.

ExoS/ChvI Two-Component Signal-Transduction System Activated in the Absence of Bacterial Phosphatidylcholine.

contains the negatively charged phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin as well as the zwitterionic phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) as major membrane phospholipids. In previous studies we had isolated mutants that lack PE or PC. Although mutants deficient in PE are able to form nitrogen-fixing nodules on alfalfa host plants, mutants lacking PC cannot sustain development of any nodules on host roots.

Confined Spaces in [n]Cyclo-2,7-pyrenylenes.

A set of strained aromatic macrocycles based on [n]cyclo-2,7-(4,5,9,10-tetrahydro)pyrenylenes is presented with size-dependent photophysical properties. The K-region of pyrene was functionalized with ethylene glycol groups to decorate the outer rim and thereby confine the space inside the macrocycle. This confined space is especially pronounced for n=5, which leads to an internal binding of up to 8.

Power Amplification Increases With Contraction Velocity During Stretch-Shortening Cycles of Skinned Muscle Fibers.

Muscle force, work, and power output during concentric contractions (active muscle shortening) are increased immediately following an eccentric contraction (active muscle lengthening). This increase in performance is known as the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC)-effect. Recent findings demonstrate that the SSC-effect is present in the sarcomere itself.

About the transformation of low into high poly(l-lactide)s by annealing under the influence of transesterification catalysts.

Cyclic polylactides were prepared in bulk at 170 °C, crystallized at 120 °C and then annealed at temperatures between 130 and 170 °C with variation of catalyst, catalyst concentration and annealing time. The transformation of the initially formed low melting (L ) crystallites, having melting temperatures ( ) < 180 °C into high melting (H ) crystallites having values > 189 °C was monitored by means of DSC measurements and characterized in selected cases by SAXS measurements. It was confirmed that the formation of H crystallites involves a significant growth of the thickness of the lamellar crystallites along with smoothing of their surface.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on specialty community practices: an oncology perspective.

Objectives: Typically, a community-based specialty practice is prepared for a limited public health crisis that is driven by a natural disaster or a localized environment event. This article describes the unexpected impact that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had on community-based specialty practices across the United States, especially oncology practices.

Study Design And Methods: We conducted an electronic national survey of community-based specialty practice administrators to determine the impact of COVID-19 on their practices and their ability to manage through a global pandemic.

Biocontrol Traits Correlate With Resistance to Predation by Protists in Soil Pseudomonads.

Root-colonizing bacteria can support plant growth and help fend off pathogens. It is clear that such bacteria benefit from plant-derived carbon, but it remains ambiguous why they invest in plant-beneficial traits. We suggest that selection via protist predation contributes to recruitment of plant-beneficial traits in rhizosphere bacteria.

Cross-Bridges and Sarcomeric Non-cross-bridge Structures Contribute to Increased Work in Stretch-Shortening Cycles.

Stretch-shortening cycles (SSCs) refer to the muscle action when an active muscle stretch is immediately followed by active muscle shortening. This combination of eccentric and concentric contractions is the most important type of daily muscle action and plays a significant role in natural locomotion such as walking, running or jumping. SSCs are used in human and animal movements especially when a high movement speed or economy is required.