Diagnosis of lung cancer based on metal contents in serum and hair using multivariate statistical methods

The classification of normal and cancer groups with four multivariate methods according to metal contents in serum and hair samples has been discussed in the present paper. Results show that the four multivariate methods, stepwise discrimination analysis, principal components analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis, and stepwise cluster analysis can distinguish the two groups correctly. The independent samples of both normal and cancer groups were tested and can be distinguished correctly by the four methods. Therefore, these methods can be used as an aid for diagnosis of lung cancer according to the metal contents in serum and hair samples.     

Quality through the pharmaceutical chain of care

Many medical professionals are involved in patient care processes. For pharmaceutical care this results in many information transfer moments. To provide optimal care, communication and information the transfer should be conducted in a timely manner, fully transparent, complete and relevant. The TRANSFORM project is directed towards the development of a reference information model of the pharmaceutical care chain with the aim to improve the availability (time, place, completeness) and access of pharmaceutical information regarding patients, thereby resulting in continuity and quality of pharmaceutical care, reduction in medical errors and improvement in patient safety through the design of a safer healthcare system. TRANSFORM leads to improved insight into the processes and data transfer points in the pharmaceutical chain of care. Focussed on laboratory medicine and pharmacy, the implementation of the integration of laboratory test and pharmacy information may result in major improvements in drug therapy monitoring and guidance (i.e. drug impact monitoring). Because of the overwhelming amount of data generated by this integration of drugs, drug effects and laboratory test results, an online decision support system is warranted.Presented at the 9th Conference on Quality in the Spotlight, 18–19 March 2004, Antwerp, Belgium.The following paper may appear at first sight not to be specifically within the realm of ACQUAL. It has been accepted for publication anyway as it is about reliable handling of data, incl. measurement results, which lead to important decisions (in this case related to a patient). The reliability of handling (a large amount of) measurement results towards a basis for important decisions, is a very important feature of the use of such results.Paul De Bièvre, Editor in Chief     

Impedance study of Ni–Co electro-deposition on Fe powder particles in fluidised bed systems

The electrochemical impedance method was applied during the electrochemical deposition of a binary Ni–Co coating on iron powder in a fluidised bed electrode system. The influence of the suspension density on the charge transfer in the course of the electro-deposition process was studied. At a potential of −900 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl/3 M KCl), when the binary Ni–Co layer was formed, the impedance data were characterised by two semicircles with the semicircle at high frequencies being larger in magnitude. A contribution of the diffusion process to the overall current was observed. The optimal suspension density for the charge transfer in the bed was 10×10⁻³–15×10⁻³ (i.e., 4–6 g of iron powder in 50 ml of electrolyte). The most probable mechanism of the charge transfer for the studied concentrations of powder particles is the convective mechanism. The iron particles dispersed in the electrolyte were considered to act as either a depolariser or an additional working electrode depending on the applied electrode potential and on the suspension density.     

DETERMINATION OF DEGREE OF CRYSTALLINITY OF NYLON 1212 BY WIDE-ANGLE X-RAY DIFFRACTION

Based on the X-ray scattering intensity theory and using the approximate expression for the atomic scattering factor, the correction factors for three crystalline peaks and an amorphous peak of Nylon 1212 were calculated and the formula of degree of crystallinity of Nylon 1212 was derived by a graphic multipeak resolution method. The degree of crystallinity calculated from the WAXD method is compatible with those obtained by density and calorimetry methods.     

Chemosensors for the marine toxin saxitoxin

Eleven anthracylmethyl crown ethers have been synthesized and evaluated as fluorescence sensors for the marine toxin saxitoxin. Fluorescence enhancement data are consistent with a 1:1 binding complex for all crowns. The binding constants are in the range of 10(4) M(-)(1) in ammonium phosphate buffer (pH 7.1) in 80% ethanol solvent. Selectivity for sensing saxitoxin versus several organic analytes has been demonstrated for the first time. Possible modes of binding are presented, and relevance to saxitoxin monitoring programs are discussed.     

甲醇燃料车尾气净化催化剂的研究Ⅰ.甲醇深度氧化用钯催化剂上吸附物种的原位红外研究

利用原位红外技术研究了ＣＨ３ＯＨ、ＣＯ、Ｏ２等在Ｐｄ／γＡｌ２Ｏ３上的吸附情况及ＣＨ３ＯＨ和Ｏ２共吸附时表面物种的变化，结果表明：表面纯净的Ｐｄ／γＡｌ２Ｏ３催化剂对甲醇具有很好的解离吸附性能，在无氧条件下，ＣＨ３ＯＨ可在其上脱氢产生ＨＣＨＯ及ＣＯ。Ｐｄ对Ｏ２的吸附力强，氧均以解离方式吸附于Ｐｄ／γＡｌ２Ｏ３上。当吸附的［ＣＨ３Ｏ］与［Ｏ］在Ｐｄ／γＡｌ２Ｏ３上相互作用时，可产生ＨＣＨＯ、ＣＯ、甲二氧基、甲酸根等中间物种     

High pressure-promoted cycloadditions of ketene acetals and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones

Cycloadditions of ketene acetals with α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds are strongly promoted by high pressure. The influence of the solvent and the substitution pattern on the product distribution at 12 kBar has been investigated. In the polar solvent, acetonitrile, α,β-unsaturated aldehydes not having large β-substituents, yield mainly cyclobutane aldehydes, which are minor products at normal pressure. The products can be transformed under basic conditions without ring opening.     

Solubility Measurements of Surfactants and Dissolution of Cytochrome c in 1,1,1,2‐Tetrafluoroethane Modified with Organic Solvents

The solubilities of four surfactants, sodium bis‐2‐ethylhexyl sulfosuccinate (AOT), cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, didodecyldimethylammonium bromide, and n‐dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride in liquid refrigerant 1,1,1,2‐tetrafluoroethane (R134a) modified with methanol, ethanol, and 2‐propanol were measured. The measurements were performed under 25 and 50 bar at 25 °C. The solubility of AOT was as high as 92 mM in R134a with addition of 2% ethanol. Cytochrome c molecules were then verified to be soluble in the AOT‐containing and ethanol‐modified R134a solution. Accordingly, liquid R134a is suggested as a potential extraction solvent for hydrophilic compounds.     

Ultrafast energy-electron transfer cascade in a multichromophoric light-harvesting molecular square

A molecular square with dimensions of about 4 nm, incorporating sixteen pyrene chromophores attached to four ditopic bay-functionalized perylene bisimide chromophores, has been synthesized by coordination to four Pt(II) phosphine corner units and fully characterized via NMR spectroscopy and ESI-FTICR mass spectrometry. Steady-state and time-resolved emission as well as femtosecond transient absorption studies reveal the presence of a highly efficient (>90%) and fast photoinduced energy transfer (k(en) approximately equal to 5.0 x 10(9) s(-1)) from the pyrene to the perylene bisimide chromophores and a very fast and efficient electron transfer (>94%, k(et) approximately equal to 5 x 10(11) up to 43 x 10(11) s(-1)). Spectrotemporal parametrization indicates upper excited-state electron-transfer processes, various energy and electron-transfer pathways, and chromophoric heterogeneity. Temperature-dependent time-resolved emission spectroscopy has shown that the acceptor emission lifetime increases with decreasing temperature from which an electron-transfer barrier is obtained. The extremely fast electron-transfer processes (substantially faster and more efficient than in the free ligand) that are normally only observed in solid materials, together with the closely packed structure of 20 chromophoric units, indicate that we can consider the molecular square as a monodisperse nanoaggregate: a molecularly defined ensemble of chromophores that partly behaves like a solid material.     

Black fungus derived aerogel with double faced properties

Black fungus aerogel (BFA) exhibited interesting double-faced properties. Weexplored the diverse properties of each side of the black fungus in three aspects:water contact angle measurements, liquid selective absorption capacity and air pollutant adsorption abilities.