Additional Route Research Articles

Determination of benzothiazoles, benzotriazoles and benzenesulfonamides in seafood using quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe extraction followed by gas chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry: Method development and risk assessment

The common use of benzothiazoles, benzotriazoles and benzenesulfonamides has led to widespread ubiquity in several environmental matrices. Their occurrence in edible fish could represent an additional exposure route for the population. The present study aims to develop a method for the simultaneous determination of these three compound families in seafood samples. Based on QuEChERS extraction, different salt combinations and clean-up strategies have been evaluated to achieve the highest recoveries while reducing the matrix effect in low and high lipidic content species. The best results were obtained with the original method salts and the lipid-selective push-through clean-up, which combined with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry led to recoveries between 50 and 112% with negligible matrix effects and method detection limits between 0.15–9.50 ng g−1 dw. The application of the method to commercially available samples confirmed the presence of BTs as well as BSAs, with the latter being determined in seafood for the first time. Exposure and risk assessment calculations indicated a minor risk for the population when consuming fish.

Catalogue of South African mine tailings for geochemical carbon dioxide removal purposes

South Africa has the potential to be a global leader in implementing strategies targeting geochemical carbon dioxide removal (CDR) using mine tailings, utilising methods for alkalinity production and mineral carbonation. This is due to the hundreds of millions of tonnes of geochemically and mineralogically suitable tailings produced annually from diamond, PGM, chrome, nickel, phosphate, copper, talc and magnesite mines, exploiting mafic and ultramafic rocks. This approach may offer an additional route towards emissions offsets and reduction targets for South Africa.Here, a catalogue of tailings has been developed to highlight overall national CDR potential, drawing attention to site opportunities for pilot schemes. It has been calculated, using bulk geochemistry and shrinking core modelling, that South Africa has an average 1.1-1.7 MtCO2 removal capacity per year across all suitable sites, while an additional 11-17 MtCO2 could be removed through weathering historic tailings. The total CDR that could be achieved over the 2030-2100 period, considering all annually produced tailings available to weather, is 79-119 MtCO2. The capacity may be higher if mines of limited production information are considered, and pre-2017 tailings production amounts, abandoned stockpiles, and other industrial by-products are included. Diamond mines hold the highest geochemical CDR capacities, along with high tailings producers in Phalaborwa, Nkomati and Mogalakwena metal mines. There are incentives for academia, industry and policymakers to revise the geochemical CDR potential of mine sites in the years to come, and for other countries to catalogue their own suitable tailings and geochemical CDR potential capacities for future Mt-scale opportunities.

Neuromechanical Dimorphism of Hypoglycemic Effect of Electroacupuncture

Introduction: Electroacupuncture (EA) has a favorable impact on blood glucose stability. Blood glucose homeostasis is linked to sexual dimorphism. The majority of research has, however, focused on male participants, and sex differences have not been adequately taken into account. Methods: Here, we investigated how EA intervention affected pancreatic metabolic stress and explored if there were any sex-related changes in the maintenance of pancreatic function following intraperitoneal injection of a 10 g/kg glucose solution. Results: The transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-β cell pathway of the male pancreas is vital to maintain glucose metabolism in mice. In contrast, there is a sex bias in TRPV1, which implies that female mice have additional routes for preserving glucose homeostasis. EA is ineffective on Trpv1^-/- male mice. It also revealed that TRPV1 in male mice served as a crucial mediator for the EA control of blood glucose. Meanwhile, the sympathetic marker tyrosine hydroxylase showed higher expression in the male pancreas, while the cholinergic marker choline acetyltransferase is expressed predominantly in female mice. Injecting γ-aminobutyric acid into the paraventricular nucleus of male mice caused a disruption in blood glucose and a lack of response to EA. It verified that male mice had a more pronounced sympathetic innervation of the pancreas than female mice. Conclusion: Our research has demonstrated that the TRPV1 sensory afferent nerve and sympathetic efferent nerve are capable of maintaining glucose homeostasis, exhibiting a distinct sexual dimorphism. Furthermore, this regulation is contingent on the EA effect.

Three-dimensional inkjet printing and low temperature sintering of silica-based ceramics

The conventional LTCC fabrication route requires a series of costly molding equipment and a complicated manufacturing process. If it is achievable to fabricate ceramics using three-dimensional inkjet printing (IJP) technology, it is anticipated that LTCC components could be designed as a more efficient and flexible additive manufacturing route using IJP technology to co-print ceramic and conductive layers and co-fire them. This research represents the first attempt to utilize IJP technology in the field of LTCC, where we developed a stable SiO2-H3BO3 nanoceramic ink that can be continuously printed through a piezoelectric nozzle with an array of spray holes. The ink was supplemented with selected photosensitive resins to facilitate the curing of the printed layer under ultraviolet light irradiation. Green bodies are sintered at 950° for two hours to obtain ceramic sheets with good surface flatness and microscopic sintering degrees. The tested samples have an ultra-low dielectric constant (εr) of about 2.485 and a low dielectric loss (tan δ) of about 0.0038 (at 1 MHz), while being stable at high temperatures (< 400°) and high frequencies (< 10 GHz), indicating its ability to match the required dielectric properties required for microwave dielectric substrates.

Heritability and variance component estimation for feed and water intake behaviors of feedlot cattle.

Feed and water intake are two important aspects of cattle production that greatly impact the profitability, efficiency, and sustainability of producers. Feed and, to a lesser degree, water intake have been studied previously; however, there is little research on their associated animal behaviors and there is a lack of standardized phenotypes for these behaviors. Feed and water intakes obtained with an Insentec system (Hokofarm Group, The Netherlands) from 830 crossbred steers were used to compute five intake behaviors for both feed and water: daily sessions (DS), intake rate (IR), session size (SS), time per session (TS), and session interval (SI). Variance components and heritabilities were estimated for each trait. Heritabilities for feed intake behaviors were 0.50 ± 0.12, 0.63 ± 0.12, 0.40 ± 0.13, 0.35 ± 0.12, and 0.60 ± 0.12 for DS, IR, SS, TS, and SI, respectively. Heritabilities for water intake behaviors were 0.56 ± 0.11, 0.88 ± 0.07, 0.70 ± 0.11, 0.54 ± 0.12, and 0.80 ± 0.10 for NS, IR, SS, TS, and SI, respectively. Daily dry matter intake (DDMI) and daily water intake (DWI) had heritabilities of 0.57 ± 0.11 and 0.44 ± 0.11. Phenotypic correlations varied between pairs of traits (-0.83 to 0.82). Genetic correlations between DDMI and feed intake behaviors were moderate to high, while genetic correlations between DWI and water intake behaviors were low to moderate. Several significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were identified for the feed and water intake behaviors. Genes and previously reported quantitative trait loci near significant SNPs were evaluated. The results indicated that feed and water intake behaviors are influenced by genetic factors and are heritable, providing one additional route to evaluate or manipulate feed and water intake.

Pd(II)-catalyzed coupling of C-H bonds of carboxamides with iodoazobenzenes toward modified azobenzenes.

In this paper, we report a synthetic protocol for the construction of biaryl motif-based or π-extended azobenzene and alkylated azobenzene derivatives via the Pd(II)-catalyzed bidentate directing group (DG)-aided C-H activation and functionalization strategy. In the past, the synthesis of biaryl motif-based azobenzenes was accomplished through the traditional cross-coupling reaction involving organometallic reagents and aryl halides or equivalent coupling partners. We have shown the direct coupling of C-H bonds of aromatic/aliphatic carboxamides (possessing a DG) with iodoazobenzenes as the coupling partners through the Pd(II)-catalyzed bidentate DG-aided, site-selective C-H functionalization method. Azobenzene-containing compounds are a versatile class of photo-responsive molecules that have found applications across branches of chemical, biological and materials sciences and are prevalent in medicinally relevant molecules. Accordingly, the synthesis of new and functionalized azobenzene-based scaffolds has been an attractive topic of research. Although the classical methods are efficient, they need pre-functionalized starting materials. This protocol involving the Pd(II)-catalyzed, directing group-aided site-selective C-H arylation of aromatic and aliphatic carboxamides using iodoazobenzene as the coupling partner affording azobenzene-based carboxamides is an additional route and also a contribution towards enriching the library of modified azobenzenes. We have also shown the photoswitching properties of representative compounds synthesized via the Pd(II)-catalyzed directing group-aided site-selective C-H functionalization method.

Additive Metric Composition-Based Load Aware Reliable Routing Protocol for Improving the Quality of Service in Industrial Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) is the collection of low-power devices deployed in real-time applications like industries, health care and agriculture. The real-time applications must quickly sense, analyze and react to the data within a time frame. So the data’s should be transmitted without any delay. The Routing Protocol for Low-power and Lossy Networks (RPL) is used to route the data by finding the optimal path. RPL forward the data packets from source to destination based on the objective functions. The objective functions can be designed using different routing metrics and most of the existing objective functions are not designed based on the characteristics of IoT applications. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) environment with real-time data transfer characteristic is considered for this proposed work. Packet loss, power depletion and load balancing are the problems faced by real-time environment. Neighbor Indexed based RPL (NI-RPL) is implemented in two steps to improve efficiency of RPL. First, based on the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) and path-cost the preferred-parent set is formed from the set of neighboring nodes. Second, the rank of the nodes from the preferred-parent set is calculated based on the Neighbor Index (NI), Expected Transmission count (ETX) and Residual Energy (RE), and then the best route is selected based on the rank. The NI is used to avoid congestion, the ETX and RE helps in improving the Quality of Service (QoS) and lifetime of the network. The proposed objective function, NI-RPL is compared with other objective functions. NI-RPL guarantees the delivery of real –time data with better QoS, because it has improved the packet delivery ratio by 3% to 5% and decreases latency by 7 to 12 seconds

Continuous infiltration of small peritoneal macrophages in the mouse peritoneum through CCR2-dependent and -independent routes during fibrosis and mesothelioma development induced by a multiwalled carbon nanotube, MWNT-7.

Although toxicities of multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) have been found to be related with activities of macrophages phagocytosing the fibers, the exact relationship between macrophage population and pathogenesis of fibrosis and mesotheliomas induced by MWCNTs is largely unknown. CCL2-CCR2 axis, a major monocyte/macrophage infiltration route, is thought to be involved in not only acute inflammation but also the formation of tumor microenvironment. We therefore described a time-course of alteration of macrophage population in an attempt to clarify the contribution of the Ccr2 gene to mesotheliomagenesis. Wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 mice and Ccr2-knockout (KO) mice were intraperitoneally administered with MWNT-7 and were sequentially necropsied at 1, 7, 28, 90, and 245 day(s) after the injection. Peritoneal fibrosis was prominent in all MWCNT-treated mice, with a lower severity in the KO mice. No differences were observed in the incidences of neoplastic lesions of mesothelia between WT and KO mice. A flow cytometric analysis revealed that after gross disappearance of macrophages after MWCNT exposure, small peritoneal macrophages (SPMs) were exclusively refurbished by the CCR2-dependent route at day 1 (as Ly-6C+MHC class II- cells), followed by additional CCR2-independent routes (as Ly-6C-MHC class II- cells); i.e., the only route in KO mice; with a delay of 1-7 days. The SPMs derived from both routes appeared to differentiate into maturated cells as Ly-6C-MHC class II+, whose ratio increased in a time-dependent manner among the total SPM population. Additionally, most macrophages expressed M1-like features, but a small fraction of macrophages exhibited an M1/M2 mixed status in MWCNT-treated animals. Our findings demonstrate a long-persistent activation of the CCL2-CCR2 axis after MWCNT exposure and enable a better understanding of the participation and potential roles of SPMs in fibrous material-induced chronic toxicities.

Lymphatic Intervention, the Frontline of Modern Lymphatic Medicine: Part II. Classification and Treatment of the Lymphatic Disorders.

Lymphatic disorders encompass a broad spectrum of diseases involving the lymphatic system, ranging from traumatic lymphatic leaks to lymphatic malformations. Lymphatic disorders can be categorized into traumatic and non-traumatic disorders according to their etiology. These two categories may be further divided into subgroups depending on the anatomical location of the lymphatic pathology and their association with clinical syndromes. Thoracic duct embolization was a milestone in the field of lymphatic intervention that encouraged the application of percutaneous embolization techniques to treat leaks and reflux disorders in the lymphatic system. Additional access routes for embolization, including retrograde thoracic duct and transhepatic lymphatic access, have also been developed. This article comprehensively reviews a variety of options for the treatment of lymphatic disorders, from conservative management to the most recent embolization techniques.

The role of plastics in the accumulation and release of trace elements in the environment

Abstract Plastics are an emerging class of environmental contaminants whose impacts are not yet fully understood. Trace elements, another class of environmental contaminant and commonly associated with plastics, have been widely researched and are known to be toxic to organisms. However, the combined impacts of these two contaminants on the environment remain unclear. Here, we reviewed the current knowledge of the types and concentrations of trace elements associated with plastics, the role of plastics in creating new exposure routes, the processes involved in the release of trace elements from plastics, and the transport of plastics through environmental compartments. Trace elements inherent in plastics, due to addition during manufacture for formation or functional properties, are typically present at higher concentrations than those that are acquired from the environment, and consequently are likely to have greater impacts. Trace elements are continuously released into environmental matrices from plastics but may be released at higher concentrations when exposed to rapid changes in environmental conditions (pH, ionic strength, redox potential, salinity, UV levels). Plastics potentially provide additional exposure routes for organisms to trace elements. For example, exposure to trace elements may occur when organisms ingest plastics, use them for shelter and nest building or as a surface to attach onto. Further research to improve our understanding of this complex contaminant should focus on environmentally relevant studies on trace element release and their effects.

Influence of photovoltaic support on lightning transient under direct lightning strike

• A new transient circuit model for calculating the transient response of PV support is developed. • The transient overvoltage caused by the mode of air-termination rod and lightning strike point are investigated. • The influences of additional leg, tile angle and equipotential bonding have been studied. • Four types of PV supports are chosen and their lightning transient responses under direct lightning strike are comprehensively investigated. Due to the large-scale installation of photovoltaic (PV) plants in open areas, PV plants is exposed to lightning strike at a high risk. The influence of PV support on lightning transient under direct lightning strike is investigated in this paper. Firstly, the PV support composed of multiple branches is classified into vertical conductor, horizontal conductor and oblique conductor. Their wave impedances are individually derived. Considering the air-termination rod and earthing system, four types of PV supports are chosen and their lightning transient responses under direct lightning strike are comprehensively studied. It suggests that the transient response is heavily dependent on the number of grounding legs. The greater the grounding legs, the lower the overvoltage. The equipotential bonding provides additional routes for the discharge of lightning current. Its presence would minimize the voltage but increase the risk for the entire PV system. The additional auxiliary leg also plays a role. The non-isolated air-termination rod is suggested install at the symmetrical center of the PV support from the perspective of discharging the lightning current.

Effect of chromium variation on evolution of magnetic properties in laser direct energy additively processed CoCrxFeNi alloys

The soft magnetic behavior of laser directed energy deposited CoCrxFeNi (x = 0 - 24 at.% Cr) alloys has been investigated as a function of chromium content. The saturation magnetization of these CoCrxFeNi alloys monotonically decreased with increasing concentration of Cr, and exhibited paramagnetic behavior at room temperature for equiatomic CoCrFeNi alloy composition. Similarly, the Curie temperature (Tc) of the ferromagnetic CoFeNi alloy linearly decreased with Cr content, while the paramagnetic equiatomic alloy indicated a ferromagnetic transition temperature of 94 K. Interestingly, all the as-deposited alloys exhibited coercivity values less than 2 Oe irrespective of the Cr content. The results indicate that the magnetic behavior of the ferromagnetic CoFeNi alloy can be systematically tuned with addition of antiferromagnetic Cr, and the additive manufacturing route was successful in rapid processing alloys of any desired composition, in a high throughput manner, with negligible chemical variation. These findings are promising for the fabrication of components for applications demanding gradient magnetic coatings and alloys.

Effect of Pendant Sulfide and Sulfonyl Groups on the Thermal, Flow, and Antioxidative Properties of Lipid-Based Aliphatic Monoesters

Thermal, flow, and oxidative stability behavior of oleyl oleate monoesters derivatized with sulfur-containing functional groups (sulfide and sulfonyl) suggests that these compounds may be suitable candidates as sustainable alternative base oils to replace mineral oils in lubricant formulations. A robust thiol-ene addition and oxidation synthesis route was utilized to prepare the materials in high yields and high purity with no byproducts. Changes in the functional properties of oleyl oleate are attributable to the enhanced intermolecular forces and irregular conformations introduced by the bulky polar sulfur-containing groups, which introduce steric hindrances and alter phase behavior. The derivatization of oleyl oleate with sulfide and sulfonyl pendant groups resulted in a lower enthalpy of crystallization (10 kJ/mol compared to 76 kJ/mol for oleyl oleate) and an increased viscosity from 16.3 mPa·s to as high as 175.5 mPa·s at 40 °C. The sulfonyl pendant groups imparted higher viscosity to oleyl oleate due to sulfonyl–sulfonyl interactions. The presence of sulfonyl and sulfide pendant groups increased oleyl oleate oxidation onset (Tonox) by 47 and 149 °C, respectively. The sulfide pendant groups converted hydroperoxides as they are formed into non-radical derivatives and thus delayed oxidation. Overall, the sulfide- and sulfonyl-branched oleyl oleate monoesters of this work presented useful thermal transition and viscosity profiles which are competitive with those of mineral oils, making them suitable alternatives for use in lubricant formulations.

Pharmacokinetics of esomeprazole in goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) after intravenous and subcutaneous administration.

Stressed and hospitalized goats are at risk of developing abomasal (gastric) ulceration, but there is a paucity of pharmacokinetic studies for proton pump inhibiting drugs, such as, esomeprazole in goats. The objectives for this study were to estimate plasma pharmacokinetic parameters for esomeprazole in adult goats after intravenous (IV) and subcutaneous (SQ) administration. A secondary objective was to describe the plasma kinetics of the metabolite esomeprazole sulfone after IV and SC administration in goats. Esomeprazole was administered to 5 adult goats in a crossover study at doses of 1 mg/kg IV or 2 mg/kg SC. Plasma samples were collected over 36 h and analyzed via reverse phase HPLC to determine concentrations of esomeprazole and esomeprazole sulfone. Pharmacokinetic parameters were derived via non-compartmental analysis. Following IV administration, mean values for plasma clearance (Cl), elimination half-life [T1/2 (λz)], C0, and volume of distribution (V z ) of esomeprazole were estimated at 24.9 mL/min/kg, 6 min, 2.324 μg/mL, and 0.23 L/kg, respectively. After SC administration elimination half-life, maximum concentration (Cmax) and time to maximum concentration (Tmax) of esomeprazole were estimated at 29 min, 1.038 μg/mL, and 22 minutes respectively. Maximum concentrations of the sulfone metabolite were 32 and 18 ng/mL after IV and SC administration. Esomeprazole was rapidly eliminated from plasma after both IV and SC injection in goats. The elimination half-life in goats appears to be shorter than reported in dogs, as well as less than that reported for pantoprazole in goats. The sulfone metabolite was detected and also rapidly eliminated from the plasma after both IV and SC administration. Additional pharmacodynamic investigations are needed to determine the efficacy of esomeprazole on abomasal (gastric) acid suppression in goats and could include larger doses or additional routes of administration.

Tuning defect-related optical bands by channeling implants in semiconductors

Ion implantation is an excellent method to introduce defects into semiconductors, extending their functionalities in a controllable way. Herein, we investigated an option to use crystallographically aligned implants as an additional route to control the balance between optically active defects, selecting ZnO as a test material. The optical data were correlated with the structural analysis confirming the formation of different dominating crystalline defects in samples implanted along and off [0001] direction. Specifically, we demonstrated that different proportions in the contents of the extended and point defects in the initial as-implanted states of these samples, lead to prominent variations in the defect-related luminescence upon annealing. As such, we conclude that channeling implants may have an added value in the functionalization of defects in semiconductors, e.g. to tune specific spectral contents in the defect-related emission bands.

G2/M checkpoint regulation and apoptosis facilitate the nuclear egress of parvoviral capsids.

The nuclear export factor CRM1-mediated pathway is known to be important for the nuclear egress of progeny parvovirus capsids in the host cells with virus-mediated cell cycle arrest at G2/M. However, it is still unclear whether this is the only pathway by which capsids exit the nucleus. Our studies show that the nuclear egress of DNA-containing full canine parvovirus. capsids was reduced but not fully inhibited when CRM1-mediated nuclear export was prevented by leptomycin B. This suggests that canine parvovirus capsids might use additional routes for nuclear escape. This hypothesis was further supported by our findings that nuclear envelope (NE) permeability was increased at the late stages of infection. Inhibitors of cell cycle regulatory protein cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) and pro-apoptotic caspase 3 prevented the NE leakage. The change in NE permeability could be explained by the regulation of the G2/M checkpoint which is accompanied by early mitotic and apoptotic events. The model of G2/M checkpoint activation was supported by infection-induced nuclear accumulation of cyclin B1 and Cdk1. Both NE permeability and nuclear egress of capsids were reduced by the inhibition of Cdk1. Additional proof of checkpoint function regulation and promotion of apoptotic events was the nucleocytoplasmic redistribution of nuclear transport factors, importins, and Ran, in late infection. Consistent with our findings, post-translational histone acetylation that promotes the regulation of several genes related to cell cycle transition and arrest was detected. In conclusion, the model we propose implies that parvoviral capsid egress partially depends on infection-induced G2/M checkpoint regulation involving early mitotic and apoptotic events.

Semi-solid wire-feed additive manufacturing of AlSi7Mg by direct induction heating

• Demonstration of an induction heating based additive manufacturing process. • The novel process enables high speed additive manufacturing with build rates of around 20 mm 3 /s (0.054 g/s). • Adaptation of induction power during the process allows multilayer specimen fabrication. • Defects in the novel process are analysed for the first time using µCT to pave the way for their future prevention. In this study, a novel process is presented in which direct induction heating with frequencies in the MHz range is used for the wire-feed additive manufacturing of the alloy AlSi7Mg. The high frequency of 1.5 MHz enables processing of 1.2 mm diameter wires without the need for indirect heating via a nozzle. The feasibility of the process is proven by the experimental identification of a proper process window regarding the influential parameters such as the distance between inductor and substrate, induction power and wire feed rate for the fabrication of single layers. Furthermore, a strategy for the successful fabrication of multi-layered cubes is developed. The microstructure of the cubes exhibits a characteristic variation along the build direction. Micro-computed tomography is used to reveal defects like lack of fusion and spherical pores in test cubes. The presented results are used to derive possible process improvements, which will allow the novel process to be used as a fast and powder-free alternative metal additive manufacturing route in future.

Perinatal mental health and COVID-19: Navigating a way forward.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath have increased pre-existing inequalities and risk factors for mental disorders in general, but perinatal mental disorders are of particular concern. They are already underdiagnosed and undertreated, and this has been magnified by the pandemic. Access to services (both psychiatric and obstetric) has been reduced, and in-person contact has been restricted because of the increased risks. Rates of perinatal anxiety and depressive symptoms have increased. In the face of these challenges, clear guidance in perinatal mental health is needed for patients and clinicians. However, a systematic search of the available resources showed only a small amount of guidance from a few countries, with a focus on the acute phase of the pandemic rather than the challenges of new variants and variable rates of infection. Telepsychiatry offers advantages during times of restricted social contact and also as an additional route for accessing a wide range of digital technologies. While there is a strong evidence base for general telepsychiatry, the particular issues in perinatal mental health need further examination. Clinicians will need expertise and training to navigate a hybrid model, flexibly combining in person and remote assessments according to risk, clinical need and individual patient preferences. There are also wider issues of care planning in the context of varying infection rates, restrictions and vaccination access in different countries. Clinicians will need to focus on prevention, treatment, risk assessment and symptom monitoring, but there will also need to be an urgent and coordinated focus on guidance and planning across all organisations involved in perinatal mental health care.

Effective boron removal from synthetic wastewater by multi-stage calcium-based chemical oxo-precipitation process

Chemical oxo-precipitation (COP) is a facile method to remove boron by the precipitation of perborate salts with the aid of hydrogen peroxide. Despite that the COP using barium precipitant (Ba–COP) has been advanced to provide excellent boron removal, the production of hazardous sludge limits the implementation. This study aims to improve the COP using calcium precipitant (Ca–COP) to provide boron removal comparable to COP without the production of hazardous waste. In addition to the precipitation of calcium perborate, the formation of calcium carbonate and calcium peroxide played decisive roles in the Ca–COP. The instant precipitation of calcium perborates (CaPBs) at pH 11 could eliminate boron from 1000 to 30 mg-B/L in 15 min. The prominent uptake of atmospheric CO2 induced the precipitation of calcium carbonate and consumed calcium ion, which resulted in the increment in boron level due to the incongruent dissolution of CaPBs. The formation of calcium carbonate and calcium perborate provided an additional route to remove boron through sorption. Accordingly, a multi-stage Ca–COP process was developed to remove precipitated CaPBs for preventing the incongruent dissolution and to dose calcium precipitant multiple times to induce the sorptive removal. The proposed process could eliminate boron from 1000 to 5 mg-B/L, which is comparable to the state-of-art Ba–COP process with 45% of its cost.

The potential for eye donation from hospice and palliative care clinical settings in England: a retrospective case note review of deceased patients' records

There is a need to identify additional routes of supply for ophthalmic tissue in the UK. This paper reports the findings from a national study exploring the potential for eye donation (ED) from three Hospice Care (HC) and three Hospital Palliative Care Services (HPC) in England. The objectives addressed in this paper are i.) to establish the size and describe the clinical characteristics of the potential eye donor population across six clinical sites; ii.) to identify challenges for clinicians in applying the standard ED criteria for assessing patient eligibility. Retrospective assessment of 1199 deceased patient case notes, 601 Hospice Care and 598 Hospital Palliative Care services, against current eye donation criteria. Clinicians’ assessments were then evaluated against the same criteria. by specialists based at the National Health Service Blood and Transplant Tissue Services division (NHSBT-TS). Results of the assessment and evaluation are reported as descriptive statistics (numerical data). Free-text comment boxes facilitated clarification and/or justification of review and evaluation decisions. 46% (n = 553) of 1199 deceased patients’ notes were agreed as eligible for eye donation (Hospice care settings = 56% (n = 337); Palliative care settings = 36% (n = 216). For all eligible cases (n = 553) the option of ED was recorded as being raised with family members in only 14 cases (3%). Significant potential exists for eye donation from the clinical sites in this study. This potential is not currently being realised.