Polonium 210Po activities in human blood of patients with ischaemic heart disease from Gdańsk in Poland

The determination of polonium ²¹⁰Po in human blood samples is presented and discussed in this paper. The human blood samples were collected from patients of Medical University of Gdańsk with ischaemic heart disease (morbus ischaemicus cordis, MIC). The polonium concentrations in analyzed human blood samples are very differentiated. ²¹⁰Po is of particular interest in public health and although is present in the environment in extremely low amounts, it is easily bioaccumulated to the human body. The study shows that the amount of ²¹⁰Po that is incorporated into the human body depends on the food habits and some difference in its levels could be observed between smokers and non-smokers.     

Acyclovir terminated thiophosphate dendrimers

An efficient synthesis of antiviral dendritic prodrug candidates, water-soluble, polyanionic conjugates of 1st and 2nd generation thiophosphate dendrimers with acyclovir, is described.     

Comparison of the Microbiological Activities of Different Varieties of Hop (Humulus lupulus) Extracts by Thin-Layer Chromatography—Direct Bioautography

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - Commercially available hop pellets of different origins were extracted by use of ethanol and water, chromatographed on silica...     

Another Unprecedented Wieland Mechanism Confirmed: Hydrogen Formation from Hydrogen Peroxide,Formaldehyde, and Sodium Hydroxide

In 1923, Wieland and Wingler reported that in the molecular hydrogen producing reaction of hydrogen peroxide with formaldehyde in basic solution, free hydrogen atoms (H^.) are not involved. They postulated that bis(hydroxymethyl)peroxide, HOCH₂OOCH₂OH, is the intermediate, which decomposes to yield H₂ and formate, proposing a mechanism that would nowadays be considered as a “concerted process”. Since then, several other (conflicting) “mechanisms” have been suggested. Our NMR and Raman spectroscopic and kinetic studies, particularly the determination of the deuterium kinetic isotope effect (DKIE), now confirm that in this base‐dependent reaction, both H atoms of H₂ derive from the CH₂ hydrogen atoms of formaldehyde, and not from the OH groups of HOCH₂OOCH₂OH or from water. Quantum‐chemical CBS‐QB3 and W1BD computations show that H₂ release proceeds through a concerted process, which is strongly accelerated by double deprotonation of HOCH₂OOCH₂OH, thereby ruling out a free radical pathway.     

Herstellung von 1,2,4‐Trithiolan‐, 1,2,4,5‐Tetrathian‐ sowie 1,2,3,5,6‐Pentathiepan‐S‐oxiden und deren Reaktionen mit (Ph3P)2Pt(η2‐C2H4). Kristallstrukturanalyse von 3,3,5,5‐Tetraphenyl‐1,2,4‐trithiolan‐1‐oxid

Metal Complexes of Functionalized Sulfur‐containing Ligands. XVII Synthesis of S ‐Oxides of 1,2,4‐Trithiolane, 1,2,4,5‐Tetrathiane as well as 1,2,3,5,6‐Pentathiepane, and their Reactions with (Ph₃P)₂Pt(η²‐C₂H₄). X‐Ray Structure Analysis of 3,3,5,5‐Tetraphenyl‐1,2,4‐trithiolane 1‐oxide 3,3,5,5‐Tetraphenyl‐1,2,4‐trithiolan ( 1 ) was oxidized using m‐chloroperbenzoic acid to give, selectively, the 3,3,5,5‐tetraphenyl‐1,2,4‐trithiolane 1‐oxide ( 2 ). 2 was characterized structurally. The reaction of octamethyl tetrathiadispiro[3.2.3.2]dodecane‐2,9‐dione ( 3 ) with trifluoroperacetic acid at –50 °C yielded the corresponding 5‐oxide 4 . Oxidation of octamethyl pentathiadispiro[3.3.3.2]tridecane‐2,9‐dione ( 5 ) with m‐chloroperbenzoic acid at 0 °C gave the 12‐oxide 6 . Treatment of 2 with two equivalents of (Ph₃P)₂Pt(η²‐C₂H₄) ( 7 ) afforded a mixture (1 : 1) of the complexes (Ph₃P)₂PtSCPh₂S ( 8 ) and (Ph₃P)₂Pt(η²‐Ph₂C=S=O) ( 9 ), respectively.     

Solvent extraction of Cu,Mo, V,and U from leach solutions of copper ore and flotation tailings

A micro-cloud point extraction method was discussed for preconcentration and spectrophotometric quantification of U(VI). The method depends on complex formation between U(VI) and 2-(4-sulphophenyloazo)-1,8-dihydroxy-3,6-naphtalenedisulphonic acid (SPADNS) at pH 7.0 and subsequent extraction of the complex in a mixed surfactant medium (cethyltrimethyl ammonium bromide and Triton X-114). The separation was carried out in the presence of 1% Na₂SO₄ at room temperature. The calibration curve was linear up to 3000 µg L^?1. The enrichment factor, detection limit and precision were 16.0, 1.05 µg L^?1, and 2.3%, respectively. The method was employed for the determination of U(VI) in real samples with different matrices.     

Thermographic imaging as alternative method in allergy diagnosis

Allergen sensitization is being diagnosed by commonly available methods in clinical practice—skin prick tests (SPTs) and specific immunoglobulin E test (sIgE). Recently, a new thermographic (TH) method for the assessment of SPT was developed, and it was demonstrated that the TH measurements of forearm temperature distribution during SPT, supported by a mathematical model, offer a new quantification method of allergen-induced skin reactions. The aim of this study is a comprehensive comparison of the TH method with SPT and sIgE techniques. The studies were performed for a group of 51 patients. The SPT and sIgE examinations were done in a routine way. For TH analyses, set of thermograms of both forearms were acquired after prick and analyzed with the use of developed software. All results were converted into categorized scale for comparison. The collected results indicate high correlation coefficients between methods equal to 0.76–0.99. Sensitivity and accuracy of TH assessment in respect of both SPT and sIgE methods is at good level (0.72–0.93). Acceptable level of specificity 0.60–0.88 was also achieved for most allergic responses. Excellent agreement between SPT and sIgE methods was observed which makes the TH assessment competitive. Due to higher precision and sensitivity of digital infrared technology, possibility of making error in diagnosis is significantly reduced. Additional advantage of the TH method relies on an estimation of the skin reactivity which allows highlighting the hypersensitivity patients and automatic correction of the diagnosis.     

Microcalorimetric analysis of methylcellulose influence on the hydration process of tricalcium aluminate,alite and their mixture

In the paper, the results of investigation concerning the influence of 0.3% addition of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (MC) of 40 and 70 Pa s viscosity on the hydration process of main clinker phases C₃S and C₃A are presented. The course of hydration is documented using microcalorimetry, and formed phases were identified by XRD. The research indicated that methylcellulose inhibited the hydration process of clinker phases, analysed both, separately and in their mixture. Moreover, it was found that the presence of MC admixture also led to the reduction in calcium sulphate dihydrate reactivity in the system.     

Association equlibria in acetonitrile solution of tetracyanoquinodimethanides

Trimetric ion (TCNQ)^2?₃ has been discovered in mixed solutions of TCNQ and LiTCNQ in acetonitrile. The estimated association constant isK_T = 5.6 × 10¹⁰ øl² mol^?2.