Full Liquid Research Articles

Cold Consolidation of Pharmaceutical Waste Glass Powders Through Alkali Activation and Binder Jet 3D Printing

The recent COVID-19 emergency has led to an impressive increase in the production of pharmaceutical vials. This has led to a parallel increase in the amounts of waste glass; manufacturers typically recover material from faulty containers by crushing, giving origin to an unrecyclable fraction. Coarse fragments are effectively reused as feedstock for glass melting; on the contrary, fine powders (<100 microns), contaminated by metal and ceramic particles due to the same crushing operations, are landfilled. Landfilling is also suggested for pharmaceutical containers after medical use. This study aims at proposing new opportunities for the recycling of fine glass particles, according to recent findings concerning alkali activation of pharmaceutical glass, combined with novel processing, i.e., binder jetting printing. It has already been shown that pharmaceutical glass, immersed in low-molarity alkaline solution (not exceeding 2.5 M NaOH), undergoes surface dissolution and hydration; cold consolidation is later achieved, upon drying at 40–60 °C, by a condensation reaction occurring at hydrated layers of adjacent particles. Binder jetting printing does not realize a full liquid immersion of the glass powders, as the attacking solution is selectively sprayed on a powder bed. Here, we discuss the tuning of key parameters, such as the molarity of the attacking solution (from 2.5 to 10 M) and the granulometry of the waste glass, to obtain stable printed blocks. In particular, the stability depends on the formation of bridges between adjacent particles consisting of strong T-O bonds (Si-O-Si, Al-O-Si, B-O-Si), while degradation products (concentrating Na ions) remain as a secondary phase, solubilized by immersion in boiling water. Such stability is achieved by operating at 5 M NaOH.

Comparative analysis of short- and long-term outcomes in laparoscopic versus open surgery for colorectal cancer patients undergoing hemodialysis

PurposeAlthough minimally invasive colorectal surgery has been proven to have a shorter hospital stay and fewer short-term complications than open surgery, the advantages of laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer patients undergoing hemodialysis have not been validated. This study compared the outcomes of open and laparoscopic approaches in these patients.Materials and methodsBetween January 2007 and December 2020, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 78 hemodialysis patients who underwent curative-intent, elective colorectal surgery. Patients were divided into two groups according to the surgical method: open and laparoscopic.ResultsPostoperative morbidity (p = 0.480) and mortality (p = 0.598) rates and length of hospital stay (28.8 vs. 27.5 days, p = 0.830) were similar between the groups. However, laparoscopic surgery patients had a shorter return to clear liquid, full liquid, or soft food time than open surgery patients (p < 0.001, p = 0.007, and p = 0.002, respectively). Disease-free survival and long-term cancer-specific survival rates were also similar between the two groups (p = 0.353 and p = 0.201, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed that intraoperative blood transfusion was a risk factor for severe complications and mortality (OR 6.055; p = 0.046), and the odds ratio (OR) of laparoscopic surgery was not significantly greater than that of open surgery (OR = 0.537, p = 0.337).ConclusionAlthough laparoscopic surgery did not result in hemodialysis patients having a shorter postoperative hospital stay, our results suggest that the laparoscopic approach is as safe as open surgery for hemodialysis patients and may be beneficial for shortening the return time to food intake.

Electrical properties of different materials studied by sub-microsecond underwater electrical explosions of single wires

Results of an experimental research and one-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of critically damped sub-microsecond timescale underwater electrical explosions of wires made of 12 different materials are presented. Using current and voltage waveforms, streak shadow images of the shocks generated in water and wire expansion obtained by one-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations, the maximal values of the energy density, energy density deposition rates, and specific action integrals were determined. It is shown that for all study materials, the deposited energy density significantly exceeds the energy density required for the solid–liquid phase transition but is substantially smaller to induce a full liquid–vapor phase transition of the wire. At the time when the maximal value of the deposited power is realized, the deposited energy densities were found to be larger than the atomization energy for all materials. Estimates of the plasma parameters show that the explosion of the wires can be characterized by a high resistance and lowly ionized weakly coupled plasma. Three groups of materials were distinguished by either decrease, plateau, or increase in the resistance after the maximum of the deposited power. It was confirmed that the observed maximum Planckian temperature for all wire material does not exceed 6000 K due to the “bath” effect and that there is a correlation between the wire radial expansion and the strong shock wave velocities.

Shaping a Surface Microdroplet by Marangoni Forces along a Moving Contact Line of Four Immiscible Phases

AbstractThe ability to transfer microdroplets between fluid phases offers numerous advantages in various fields. This study focuses on the stability and morphology of a sessile oil microdropletduring the transfer from underwater to air. A distinct transition in microdroplet dynamics is observed, characterized by a shift from a scenario dominated by Marangoni forces to one dominated by capillary forces. In the former regime, the oil microdroplets spread in response to the contact between the water‐air interface and the water‐oil interface. The spreading distance follows a power law relationship of t3/4, reflecting the balance between Marangoni forces and viscous forces. On the other hand, in the capillarity‐dominated regime, the oil microdroplets remain stable at the contact line and after being transferred into the air. The crossover between these two regimes is identified in the parameter space defined by three factors: the approaching velocity of the solid‐water‐air contact line (vcl), the radius of the oil microdroplet (ro), and the radius of the water drop (rw). Furthermore, how to use the four‐phase contact line for shaping oil microdroplets is demonstrated using a full liquid process by the contact line lithography.

Simultaneous analysis of cannabinoids and terpenes in Cannabis sativa inflorescence using full comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled to smart active modulation

Nowadays, the higher peak capacity achievable by comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (LC×LC) for the analysis of vegetal samples is well-recognized. In addition, numerous compounds may be present in very different amounts. Cannabinoids and terpenes represent the main components of Cannabis sativa inflorescence samples, whose quantities are relevant for many application purposes. The analyses of both families are performed by different methods, at least two different separation methodologies, mainly according to their chemical characteristics and concentration levels. In this work, concentration differences and sample complexity issues were addressed using an LC×LC method that incorporates an optimized modulation strategy, namely smart active modulation, for the simultaneous analysis of cannabinoids and terpenes. The system was built by interposing an active flow splitter pump between both dimensions. This set up aimed to exploit the known advantages of LC×LC. In addition, here we proposed to use the splitter pump for online control over the splitting ratio to facilitate the selective dilution of different eluted fractions containing compounds with highly different concentrations.This work represents the first application and demonstration of smart active modulation (SAM) in LC×LC to simultaneously determine analytes with significant differences in concentration levels present in complex samples. The proposed method was tested with eight different strains, from which fingerprints were taken, and numerous cannabinoids and terpenes were identified in these samples. With this strategy, between 49 and 54 peaks were obtained in the LC×LC chromatograms corresponding to different strains. THCA-A was the main component in six strains, while CBDA was the main component in the other two strains. The main terpenes found were myrcene (in five strains), limonene (in two strains), and humulene (in one strain). Additionally, numerous other cannabinoids and terpenes were identified in these samples, providing valuable compositional information for growers, as well as medical and recreational users. The SAM strategy here proposed is simple and it can be extended to other complex matrices.

Directional BLUs for Full Resolution Field Alternative Auto-stereoscopic 3D/2D and 2D/3D LCDs

Switching-directional backlight units (BLUs) were designed and prototyped for full resolution field alternate auto-stereoscopic 3D liquid crystal displays (LCDs). Since the design concepts are different for 2D/3D and 3D/2D displays, the switching characteristic of BLU with two confronting illuminating sets, was applied to build 2D mode into 3D display, and 3D mode into 2D display. A design based on the 2D concept required a uniform bilateral prismatic structure with a cross-section of isosceles triangle on the back surface of the functional light-guide plate (LGP). This structure led to an increase in double-sided uniformity, i.e., for double-sided illuminations (2D as primary function of the 2D/3D display), and a decrease in single-sided uniformity, i.e. for single-sided illumination. However, a design that was based on the 3D concept required an angle gradation for the unilateral prisms with a cross-section of a scalene triangle on the back surface of the functional LGP that led to an increase in single-sided uniformity and a decrease in double-sided uniformity (3D as primary function of the 3D/2D display). Both switching concepts were used to display 3D and 2D on the LCDs of small size handheld game devices and still cameras.

Extraction, Isolation and Structure Elucidation of Two Phenolic Acids from Aerial Parts of Celery and Coriander

Celery and coriander are vastly applied in modern medicine and traditionally because various medicinal and nutritional benefits depend on their medicinal characteristics. The study aimed to detect, isolate and compare extracts contents of phenolic acids (caffeic and p-coumaric acids) in ethyl acetate fraction of fresh and dry aerial parts of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) and celery (Apium graveolens L.) of the Apiaceae family. The extraction of these constituents was carried out by maceration method using 70% ethanol and fractionation was done by using petroleum ether, and ethyl acetate. The existence of caffeic and p-coumaric acids in aerial part extracts of two plants was identified by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). After qualitative determination of these active constituents, high-performance liquid chromatography analysis was also applied for quantification of caffeic and p-coumaric acid and the results showed that ethyl acetate extract of dry coriander showed higher contents of caffeic and p-coumaric acid than ethyl acetate extracts of fresh coriander and celery (dry and fresh). Depending on the results of TLC and HPLC, two bioactive compounds (caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid) were isolated and identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and full scan product ion mode liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. This result opens the minds to the dry plant era and leads to counter fiction of what was known that fresh plant gives better results than the dry one.

Nanomagnetic Cyclodextrin decorated with ionic liquid as green and reversible Demulsifier for breaking of crude oil emulsions

Application of the chemical demulsifiers is the best choice for breaking the water in crude oil (W/O) emulsions in the petroleum industry. Here, novel, environmentally friendly, efficient, and easily reusable Fe3O4 nanomagnetic compounds based on imidazolium-decorated cyclodextrin were successfully synthesized and applied to demulsify the water in crude oil (W/O) emulsions. At first, Fe3O4 nanoparticles were decorated with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) to prepare Fe3O4@β-CD@IL magnetic nanoparticles. Then, imidazole (Im) was separately reacted with 1-bromohexane and 1-bromodecane to prepare [Im-C6][Br] and [Im-C10][Br] ionic liquids, respectively. The prepared imidazolium-based ionic liquids were reacted with N-propyltriethoxysilane to synthesize [ImSi-C6][Br] and [ImSi-C10][Br]. Finally, [ImSi-Cn][Br] was immobilized on Fe3O4@β-CD to obtain nanomagnetic demulsifiers. Structure of the synthesized compounds was confirmed using different methods such as FT-IR, NMR, and elemental analysis. TGA, VSM, and FESEM methods were used to investigate the thermal stability, magnetic properties, and the morphology, respectively. Fe3O4@βCD and Fe3O4@βCD@[ImSi-C10][Br] nanoparticles respectively showed the particle size in the range of 40–70 nm and 50–80 nm. After grafting the imidazolium-based ionic liquid on the surface of support, the magnetization number reduced from 25.6 emu/g for Fe3O4@β-CD to 24.9 emu/g for Fe3O4@β-CD@[ImSi-C10][Br]. Synthesized material employed to break the (10:90 and 30:70 Vol%) W/O emulsions at the concentration range of 1000–5000 ppm. The maximum demulsification efficiency (DE%) of 92 % was obtained using a Fe3O4@β-CD@[ImSi-C10][Br] at 5000 ppm for (30:70 Vol%) W/O emulsion within 24 h. Interfacial tension (IFT) values decreased with increasing the DE%. The Fe3O4@βCD@[ImSi-C10][Br] demulsifier was reused five times with acceptable yields. The cooperation of imidazolium and β-CD in the green nanomagnetic demulsifiers led to the efficient demulsification of the W/O emulsions. The preparation of different ionic liquids or changing the counter anions are our potential future directions for this research. Demulsification at high demulsifier concentration can be considered a limitation of the nanomagnetic cyclodextrin decorated with ionic liquid. But due to the low amount of ionic liquid immobilized in the synthesized demulsifier, the cost of the final demulsifier is lower that other demulsifiers with full ionic liquid backbones, which increases its potential for industrial applications.

Bilateral Exchange: Enteral Nutrition Clinical Decision Making in Pediatric Surgery Patients

IntroductionEvidence-based medicine guides clinical decision-making; however, promoting enteral nutrition has historically followed a dogmatic approach in which patients graduate from clear liquids to full liquids to a regular diet after return of bowel function. Enhanced recovery after surgery has demonstrated that early enteral nutrition initiation is associated with shorter hospital stays. We aimed to understand postoperative pediatric nutrition practices in Kenya and the United States. MethodsWe completed a prospective observational study of pediatric surgery fellows during clinical rounds in a pediatric referral center in Kenya (S4A) and one in the United States (Riley). Fellow-patient interactions were observed from postoperative day one to discharge or postoperative day 30, whichever happened first. Patient demographic, operative information, and daily observations including nutritional status were collected via REDCap. ResultsWe included 75 patients with 41 (54.7%) from Kenya; patients in Kenya were younger with 40% of patients in Kenya presenting as neonates. Median time to initiation and full enteral nutrition was shorter for the patients at Riley when compared to their counterparts at S4A. In the neonatal subgroup, patients at S4A initiated enteral nutrition sooner, but their hospital length of stays were not significantly different. ConclusionsStudying current nutrition practices may guide early enteral nutrition protocols. Implementing these protocols, particularly in a setting where enteral nutrition alternatives are minimal, may provide evidence of success and overrule dogmatic nutrition advancement. Studying implementation of these protocols in resource-constrained areas, where patient length of stay is often related to socioeconomic factors, may identify additional benefits to patients.

Full liquid phase sintering of binder jetting printed magnesium alloy

Migration and diffusion of materials play a critical role in densifying magnesium alloy parts made by binder jetting technology, which is closely related to the sintering temperature. However, the native oxide film of the magnesium alloy forms a barrier between particles, hindering the migration and diffusion processes and making it challenging to manufacture parts with the desired properties. To overcome this issue, this study employs a full liquid sintering method to achieve densification by breaking the oxide film at high temperature, allowing particles to diffuse and migrate. The density, microstructure, grain growth, phase change, cross-sectional morphology and mechanical properties of the manufactured samples at different sintering temperatures were investigated. The results showed that the density and mechanical properties of the samples first increases and then decreases with increasing temperature. The best properties are obtained at 620 °C where the density, the compressive strength and the tensile strength reach 93.16 %, 181.92 MPa and 91.20 MPa respectively. Further, the grain size grows from 38.03 μm at 600 °C to 45.09 μm at 640 °C, a size increase of 18.56 %. Additionally, the material phase composition is consistent at different temperatures, but the α-Mg peak shows a small shift to the left as the temperature increases. The sample morphology shrinks and swells significantly at sintering temperatures above 630 °C, where grain coarsening and larger holes appear in the microstructure, resulting in reduced properties. In summary, the full liquid phase sintering method offers significant advantages in optimizing the sintering process for binder jetting of magnesium alloys.

The robot can break bars with the best of them: a novel approach to treating cricopharyngeal bars with myotomy.

Failure of the cricopharyngeus to relax results in oropharyngeal dysphagia, which over time results in hypertrophy and increased risk for aspiration. Open myotomy is one definitive treatment option, however there are several drawbacks attributable to the long neck incision, ± drain placement, and invasiveness of the procedure. We aim to share our experience using the DaVinci robotic platform to perform a minimally invasive cricopharyngeal myotomy, which has never been described before in the literature. All robotic cricopharyngeal myotomies performed in adult patients by a single surgeon from 2021 to 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. No patients were excluded. Outcomes of interest included length of procedure, time to diet resumption, hospital length of stay, complications, symptom improvement at follow-up, and symptom recurrence. Eight robotic cricopharyngeal myotomies were performed. The median age was 65years old (62-91) and mostly female (n = 5, 56%) with a median BMI of 28.9kg/m2 (21.7-39.5). The median procedure length was 113min (94-141) and there were no intraoperative complications. All patients underwent a post-procedural esophagram with no leaks were identified. All patients were started on clear liquids in recovery and transitioned to full liquids prior to discharge. All but one patient was subsequently discharged home on the same day as procedure. All patients had routine 2-week post-operative follow-up in addition to phone follow-up at a later date (6-11months post-operative). All patients reported resolution of symptoms. There were no complications or readmissions. No instances of recurrence were reported. On cost analysis, the minimally invasive robotic approach allows for an outpatient procedure with similar cost to an open approach with a one-night stay. Our experience with the novel technique of minimally invasive robotic cricopharyngeal myotomy for cricopharyngeal bars with cervical dysphagia is safe, efficacious, less invasive, and cost saving, with excellent patient outcomes.

The Effect of Early Feeding of Full Liquids on Postoperative Infants

Abstract There is a lack of evidence-based guidance for postoperative feeding of infants after outpatient surgeries. This randomized controlled trial tested the hypothesis that infants, aged ≤12 months who are fed formula or milk at home, will have more oral intake, less pain, and less emergence delirium when fed formula/milk as compared with clear liquids in the postanesthesia care unit. Infants were randomized to receive formula/milk or clear liquids as first feeding after outpatient myringotomy and tube insertion. Pain (Faces, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability) and emergence delirium (Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium) scores were recorded and compared immediately and again 15 and 30 minutes after arrival in the postanesthesia care unit. Infants randomized to the formula/milk first-feeding group had significantly more volume of oral feeding intake than infants randomized to the clear liquid first-feeding group (M = 80.5 ml, 95% CI [15, 146], p = .017). There was no significant difference in vomiting, pain scores, or emergence delirium scores between groups. These results support the practice of ad lib feeding of infants who preferred full liquids after outpatient surgical procedures.

Nutrition management for poor oral intake in patients with gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma

Patients with gastroesophageal (GE) junction adenocarcinoma experienced the symptoms such as poor appetite, dysphagia and early satiety, impacting dietary intake leading to insufficient protein–energy intake. A 63-year-old Malay male, diagnosed with GE junction adenocarcinoma and anaemia, was admitted for chemotherapy and referred to a dietician to enhance oral intake and nutritional status. Experiencing unintentional weight loss over 3 months due to progressive dysphagia and reduced appetite, the patient was underweight. Low levels of albumin and creatinine indicated inadequate oral intake, an acute-phase response to cancer and muscle loss, respectively. Solely relying on oral nutritional supplements (ONSs) for nourishment, the estimated energy and protein intake were only 47.1% and 47.6% (0.57 g/kg body weight), respectively, in relation to requirements. A full liquid diet was prescribed, and nutrition counselling focused on strategies to increase protein–energy intake, stressing its importance in addressing the ongoing catabolic state. During follow-up, the patient showed improved energy and protein intake, reaching 78% and 81%, respectively, meeting requirements.

The Effects of Early Feeding of Full Liquids on Postoperative Infants

The Effects of Early Feeding of Full Liquids on Postoperative Infants

A highly sensitive photonic crystal fiber temperature sensor based on Sagnac interferometer with full liquid filling

A highly sensitive photonic crystal fiber temperature sensor based on Sagnac interferometer with full liquid filling

Modeling sloshing damping for spacecraft: A smoothed particle hydrodynamics application

Characterizing the movement of space propellant in the tank subjected to maneuvers and predicting its damping is a fundamental requirement for the success of space missions. In this work, we evaluate the capabilities of the smoothed particle hydrodynamics method (SPH) of characterizing liquid sloshing motion.SPH simulations are performed using the open-source code DualSPHysics, which employs a weakly compressible assumption to simulate incompressible flows. We verify the SPH scheme by showing that the calculated boundary layer matches the analytical solution of the Stokes problem. The methodology is then validated against an open-access experimental database involving sloshing experiments on partially-filled cylindrical tanks subject to horizontal excitations. We present a study of two regimes: (a) a forced, periodic regime and (b) a transient regime where we compare the full liquid interface elevation, the corresponding frequency content and the full liquid interface damping maps.The simulations are able to capture the relevant flow physics with a good level of accuracy. In particular, the simulations fairly accurately reproduced the elevation of the full free surface, predicting a 3D crescent shape of the rising wavefronts, as well as damping rates under free sloshing. Analysis of the frequency range further showed good agreement of the dominant frequencies between the experimental, simulated and analytical values given by the linearized sloshing theory.

Liquid cell scanning transmission electron microscopy characterization of combined chemical and electrochemical reduction of palladium

We systematically investigate the effect of the driving force on the growth of palladium nanoparticles by comparing electrochemical reduction of polyvinylpyrollidone-stabilized palladium nitrate solution with chemical reduction by ascorbic acid using in-situ liquid cell transmission electron microscopy. Electrochemical data is simultaneously collected while high spatial resolution is maintained. As a chemical reductant, ascorbic acid results in the formation of smaller, more tightly spaced palladium nanoparticles through increased nucleation. When present during electrochemical reduction of palladium, ascorbic acid reduces the degree to which dendrites form due to the growth of a more compact palladium layer. Because the nanoparticles formed during chemical reduction have diameters on the order of a nanometer and are invisible under full liquid conditions, we employ electrochemical water splitting to generate a gas bubble in order to observe the process in real time. This is a step towards real-time characterization of complex solution-phase growth in which multiple pathways exist for metals to reduce and combinations of additives interact to control size and shape.

Contrast-Enhanced Radiologic Evaluation of Gastric Conduit Emptying After Esophagectomy

BackgroundNasogastric tube (NGT) insertion is the standard of care in many hospitals after esophagectomy for gastric conduit decompression. An upper gastrointestinal contrast passage evaluation (UGI-CE) is a diagnostic test to evaluate passage through the gastric conduit. The authors hypothesized that introducing routine UGI-CE after esophagectomy results in earlier removal of the NGT and resumption of oral intake.MethodsThis retrospective study evaluated two consecutive series of patients undergoing esophagectomy, one before (control group) and one after the introduction of a routine UGI-CE on postoperative day (POD) 3 or 4 (UGI-CE group). If contrast passage was found on the UGI-CE, the NGT was capped and removed. In the control group, the NGT was routinely capped and removed on day 5 after surgery. The primary outcome was the POD on which oral diet was initiated. The secondary outcomes were the day of NGT removal, NGT reinsertions, postoperative complications, and length of hospital stay.ResultsEach cohort included 74 patients. In the UGI-CE group, the contrast test was performed on median POD 3.5 (IQR, 3–4). The median day of NGT removal, initiation of clear liquids, and full liquid and solid intake was 1 to 2 days earlier in the UGI-CE group than in the control group (i.e. POD 4, 4, 5, and 6 vs. POD 5, 5, 6.5, and 8; all p < 0.001). The study found no significant differences in NGT reinsertions, pneumonias, anastomotic leakages, or hospital stay.ConclusionThe routine use of a UGI-CE after esophagectomy led to earlier removal of the NGT and earlier resumption of oral intake.

S2434 A Rare Case of Epiphrenic Diverticulum as a Complication of Esophageal Motility Disorders

Introduction: Esophageal diverticula are a rare finding with an estimated incidence of 1:500 000 per year and a prevalence of 0.015–2%. It is usually associated with esophageal motility disorders, particularly Achalasia. The suspected mechanism is secondary to increased intraluminal pressure from the primary esophageal motility disorder, which leads to herniation of the mucosa and submucosa through the muscular layer. It is usually asymptomatic but can present with dysphagia, regurgitation, nausea, vomiting, aspiration, heartburn, weight loss, and retrosternal pain. Here we offer a case of a large esophageal diverticulum in a 52-year-old male who has been having symptoms for years. Given the symptomatic nature of his diverticulum, he underwent surgical repair. Case Description/Methods: A 52-year-old patient with no significant past medical history presented with complaints of dysphagia that was worsening over several years, associated with halitosis and food regurgitation. The patient was having a routine screening colonoscopy when he had an episode of coffee-ground emesis. He subsequently underwent an esophagogastroduodenoscopy which revealed a large epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum. He then had an esophagogram and Computer Tomography (CT) of chest and abdomen, which confirmed the presence of the diverticulum and significant narrowing of the GE junction. Esophageal manometry was not pursued, given the difficulty of placing the probe and the risk of perforation. He subsequently underwent left thoracotomy with resection of the large esophageal diverticulum, long myotomy (11 cm), and Besley fundoplication. Esophagram following surgery was negative for any leak (Figure). He was started on a clear liquid diet that was later advanced to full liquid, with the patient tolerating it well. He was subsequently discharged home. Discussion: Esophageal diverticula are rare findings with an estimated incidence of 1:500 000 per year and a prevalence of 0.015–2%. Most esophageal diverticula are acquired and present in older adults. Surgical repair is associated with mortality of 0 to 9% and morbidity of 20%. This case serves as a reminder to keep a broad differential diagnosis when approaching a patient with symptoms of a motility disorder. Early detection can provide timely management and prevent further complications.Figure 1.: Esophagram after surgical repair of epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum.

Development of the ATLAS Liquid Argon Calorimeter Readout Electronics for the HL-LHC

The full ATLAS Liquid Argon Calorimeter electronic readout chain will be upgraded for the high-luminosity LHC. The upgrade is designed to withstand the expected radiation level and to be compatible with the Phase-I Digital Trigger System which is being installed right now. Analogue electronics shape and amplify the calorimeter signals before they are digitized with 16 bit dynamic range on two gain scales. The on-detector system samples the calorimeter cell signals at 40 MHz and sends them to the off-detector electronics which apply digital processing based on FPGAs. Design studies and tests of prototypes of the upgraded components are presented.