History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences

Intellectual directions for History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences , 2019–2023

From parts to mechanisms: research heuristics for addressing heterogeneity in cancer genetics Abstract A major approach to cancer research in the late twentieth century was to search for genes that, when altered, initiated the development of a cell into a cancerous state (oncogenes) or failed to stop this development (tumor suppressor genes). But as researchers acquired the capacity to sequence tumors and incorporated the resulting data into databases, it became apparent that for many tumors no genes were frequently altered and that the genes altered in different tumors in the same tissue type were often distinct. To address this heterogeneity problem, many researchers looked to a higher level of organization—to mechanisms in which gene products (proteins) participated. They proposed to reduce heterogeneity by recognizing that multiple gene alterations affect the same mechanism and that it is the altered mechanism that is responsible for the cell developing one or more hallmarks of cancer. I examine how mechanisms figure in this research and focus on two heuristics researchers use to integrate proteins into mechanisms, one focusing on pathways and one focusing on clusters in networks.

S tuart G lennan , The New Mechanical Philosophy, New York: Oxford University Press, 2017, 266 pp., $40.00.

Blood, race and indigenous peoples in twentieth century extreme physiology Abstract In the first half of the twentieth century the attention of American and European researchers was drawn to the area of 'extreme physiology', partly because of expeditions to the north and south poles, and to high altitude, but also by global conflicts which were fought for the first time with aircraft, and involved conflict in non-temperate zones, deserts, and at the freezing Eastern front. In an attempt to help white Euro-Americans survive in extreme environments, physiologists, anthropologists, and explorers studied indigenous people's bodies, cultures, and technologies. This paper will sketch an outline of the science of white survival in three 'extreme' environments: the Antarctic and Arctic; high-altitude; and the Australian desert, with a particular focus on the ways in which indigenous populations were studied, or in some cases ignored, by Western biomedical scientists—despite their crucial and systematic contributions to the success of experiments and expeditions. Particularly focusing on altitude, and on blood in both its symbolic (hereditary) and literal sense, the article shows how assumptions about race, indigeneity, civilisation, and evolution shaped the ways White Westerners understood their own bodies as well as those of the people they encountered in cold, high and hot places on the earth. Despite new discoveries in physiology and evolutionary science, old racialised assumptions were maintained, especially those that figured the temperate body as civilised and the tropical body as primitive; and in at least one case it will be shown that these racialised assumptions significantly altered, if not retarded, the science of respiratory physiology.

Conceptual heterogeneity and the legacy of organicism: thoughts on the life organic

L ucas M c G ranahan , Darwinism and Pragmatism: William James on Evolution and Self - Transformation , 2017, Routledge, 200 pp., $160.00

Physiology studies and scientific exchange in the Anthropology Laboratory of the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro (1910s–1920s) Abstract The main purpose of this study is the scientific practice of Edgard Roquette-Pinto at the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro during the 1910's and 1920's in the XXth Century. The article examines the relationship between laboratory science and nation building. Driven by Physicians-Anthropologists like Edgard Roquette-Pinto among others, the investigations performed at the Anthropology Laboratory there reveal the dynamic of the borders between Laboratory and Field Sciences, and the new biological parameters adopted at that time. The investigative agenda involved plants, animals and human bodies, and it was related to the current Anthropology concept aligned with the debate of Nation construction. The physiological studies amplified the scientific exchange with different institutions, emphasizing cultural exchange between Brazil and Paraguay, and the role played by Edgard Roquette-Pinto there as he inaugurated the Physiological course at Faculty of Medicine at University of Asunción.

The plurality of assumptions about fossils and time Abstract A research community must share assumptions, such as about accepted knowledge, appropriate research practices, and good evidence. However, community members also hold some divergent assumptions, which they—and we, as analysts of science—tend to overlook. Communities with different assumed values, knowledge, and goals must negotiate to achieve compromises that make their conflicting goals complementary. This negotiation guards against the extremes of each group's desired outcomes, which, if achieved, would make other groups' goals impossible. I argue that this diversity, as a form of value pluralism, regularly influences scientific practice and can make scientific evidence and knowledge more useful and more reliable. As an example, I examine vertebrate paleontology laboratories, which house a variety of workers with different training and priorities, particularly about the meaning of time. Specifically, scientists want to study fully prepared fossils immediately, conservators want to preserve fossils for future use (such as by not preparing them), and preparators mediate between the other groups' conflicting goals. After all, one cannot study a fossil encased in rock, and one cannot remove that rock without removing information from that specimen. In response, these coworkers articulate their assumptions in everyday deliberations about how scientific evidence should be made and used. I argue that this exchange of assumptions is crucial for a research community to achieve mutually beneficial compromises that benefit current and future knowledge construction.

K ärin N ickelsen , Explaining Photosynthesis: Models of Biochemical Mechanisms, 1840 – 1960 , Springer, Dordrecht, 2015

R. P aul T hompson & R oss E.G. U pshur , Philosophy of Medicine: An Introduction , Oxon: Routledge, 2018, 194 pp

Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182

6948891480

alsfakia@gmail.com

Law and Philosophy

Arguing Against the Expressive Function of Punishment: Is the Standard Account that Insufficient? Abstract This paper critically appraises the arguments that have been offered for what can be called 'the expressive function of punishment'. According to this view, what distinguishes punishment from other kinds of non-punitive hard treatment is that punishment conveys a censorial/reprobative message about what the punished has done, and that this expressive function should therefore be accepted as part of the nature and definition of punishment. Against this view, this papers argues that the standard account of punishment, according to which punishment is a kind of hard treatment that is imposed on an alleged offender in response to her alleged wrongdoing, can already properly account for punishment and distinguish it from other kinds of hard treatment when it is properly clarified and understood. Thus there is no need to accept the expressive function of punishment in addition to the standard account when it comes to the nature and definition of punishment.

Punishing Wrongs from the Distant Past Abstract On a Parfit-inspired account of culpability, as the psychological connections between a person's younger self and older self weaken, the older self's culpability for a wrong committed by the younger self diminishes. Suppose we accept this account and also accept a culpability-based upper limit on punishment severity. On this combination of views, we seem forced to conclude that perpetrators of distant past wrongs should either receive discounted punishments or be exempted from punishment entirely. This article develops a strategy for resisting this conclusion. I propose that, even if the perpetrators of distant past wrongs cannot permissibly be punished for the original wrongs, in typical cases they can permissibly be punished for their ongoing and iterated failures to rectify earlier wrongs. Having set out this proposal, I defend it against three objections, before exploring how much punishment it can justify.

Consent, Communication, and Abandonment Abstract According to the Behavioral View of consent, consent must be expressed in behavior in order to release someone from a duty. By contrast, the Mental View of consent is that normatively efficacious consent is entirely mental. In previous work, I defended a version of the Behavioral View, according to which normatively efficacious 'consent always requires public behavior, and this behavior must take the form of communication in the case of high-stakes consent'. In this essay, I respond to two arguments by proponents of the Mental View. First, Larry Alexander, Heidi Hurd and Peter Westen have argued that my view has mistaken implications concerning the culpability of different actors. I counter that my version of the view does not have these implications, as it leaves us free to draw moral and legal distinctions between different offences involving non-consensual behavior. Second, Larry Alexander and Kimberly Ferzan have argued for an analogy between consent and abandonment: on the grounds that the normative power to abandon resides in one's will, Alexander and Ferzan concludes consent does too. I counter that abandonment requires behavior, and call into question the assumption that the ethics of property have much to teach us about the ethics of sexual consent.

Why Inconclusiveness is a Problem for Public Reason Abstract Most theorists of public reason, including both its proponents and critics, now accept that it is inconclusive, meaning that its correct application can result in a plurality of reasonable solutions to the issues it addresses. While some early critics argued that the inconclusiveness of public reason presented a serious problem for political legitimacy – a charge often associated with 'the completeness objection' – defenders of public reason have generally dismissed this objection on the grounds that political legitimacy does not hinge on the selection of a singularly reasonable or most reasonable resolution to political disputes. We argue, however, that once the notion of political legitimacy accepted by prominent public reason theorists has been successfully disambiguated, the inconclusiveness of public reason is far more problematic than public reason theorists have acknowledged.

The Feasibility of a Public Interest Defense for Whistleblowing Abstract It is commonly stated, by both whistleblower protection laws and political philosophers, that a breach of state secrecy by disclosing classified documents is justified if it serves the public interest. The problem with this defense of justified whistleblowing, however, is that the operative term – the public interest – is all too often left unclarified. This is problematic, because it leaves potential whistleblowers without sufficient certainty that their disclosures will be covered by the defense, leading many to err on the side of caution and remain silent, depriving the public of much-needed information. Failing an agreed upon definition of the public interest or a process to determine it, judges' applications of the public interest in whistleblowing cases have been criticized for demonstrating 'judicial idiosyncrasy'. The present paper, therefore, sets out to (1) provide some clarity concerning the concept of the public interest, and (2) to ascertain the extent to which a public interest defense for whistleblowing is feasible and desirable.

Is Sincerity the First Virtue of Social Institutions? Police, Universities, and Free Speech Abstract In the final chapter of Speech Matters, Seana Shiffrin argues that institutions have especially stringent duties to protect speech freedoms. In this article, I develop a few lines of criticism. First, I question whether Shiffrin's framework of justified suspended contexts is appropriate for institutional settings. Second, I challenge the presumption that the knowledge-gathering function performed by police is necessarily compromised by insincere practices. Third, I criticize Shiffrin's characterization of the university as involving a complete repudiation of enforced consensus, and I express doubts about the close connection between education and democratic legitimation that Shiffrin endorses. Finally, I raise a problem with the book's overall argument: even if one agrees that speech freedoms are necessary for moral development, they also may be threatening to moral development. The upshot is that the protection of speech should be modulated in order to account for the potential conflicts between sincerity and other valuable ends, rather than being oriented above all to sincerity.

Law as a Social Construction and Conceptual Legal Theory Abstract A currently popular view among legal positivists is that law is a social construction. Many of the same legal philosophers also argue that before one can study law empirically, one needs to know what it is. At the heart of this paper is the claim that these two propositions are inconsistent. It presents the following dilemma: if law is a social construction like all other social constructions, then legal philosophers have to explain what philosophers have to contribute to understanding it. Studies of social constructions are typically conducted by historians, sociologists, and others, who explain them (and what they are) on the basis of empirical data. If, as legal philosophers claim, conceptual clarification must precede empirical work, then it follows that the lack of conceptual work on the nature of other social constructions renders suspect all empirical work on them. To avoid such a radical conclusion, legal philosophers may argue instead that law is a social construction of a special kind. But to say that is to undermine the premise with which the argument began. Moreover, this response to the dilemma collapses what is now taken to be what separates legal positivism from natural law theory, thus undermining the motivation for this view. I conclude the essay by offering a different solution to the dilemma by suggesting that it shows that the fundamental debates of legal philosophy are not conceptual but political.

What's Special about the Insult of Paternalism? Abstract A common assumption is that paternalism generates a special, and especially grievous, insult. Identifying this distinctive insult is then presented as the key to unlocking the concept and determining its moral significance. I submit that there is no special insult. It is, rather, a particular form that a lack of recognition respect can take. Attempting to capture the special insult has led us into confusion. In particular, it has led theorists to abandon the idea that paternalists must act for the sake of the individual whose agency they supplant, and even the notion that paternalistic action requires a distinctive motivation at all. I argue that paternalistic actions must come from a place of care and concern for the paternalised agent and show that this explains the moral significance of paternalism since it tempers the general insult that such actions deliver and provides a partial defence when paternalism is misguided.

Conscientious objection and equality laws: Why the content of the conscience matters Abstract By enacting equality laws the liberal state decides the limits of liberal tolerance by relying on content-based rather than content-neutral considerations. Equality laws are not and cannot be neutral. They reflect a content-based moral decision about the importance and weight of the principle of equality vis-à-vis other rights or interests. This leads to the following conclusions: First, since equality laws in liberal democracies reflect moral-liberal values, conscientious objections to equality laws rely, almost by definition, on unjustly intolerant, anti-liberal and morally repugnant values. Secondly, we should not shy away from explicitly relying on moral-liberal views when deciding whether it is justified to grant exemptions from equality laws. Thirdly, conscientious objections to equality laws should normally not be tolerated or accommodated by the state, because conscientious objections that rely on what is rightly perceived as unjustly intolerant, anti-liberal and morally repugnant values should not be tolerated in a tolerant-liberal democracy.

Punishment, Fair Play and the Burdens of Citizenship Abstract The fair-play theory of punishment claims that the state is justified in imposing additional burdens on law-breakers, to remove the unfair advantage the latter have enjoyed by disobeying the law. From this perspective, punishment reestablishes a fair distribution of benefits and burdens among all citizens. In this paper, I object to this view by focusing on the case of civil disobedience. I argue that the mere illegality of this conduct is insufficient to establish the agent's unfair advantage over his lawabiding fellows, hence the imposition of additional burdens upon him through legal punishment. I articulate a broader account of citizens' fair-play duties, able to capture disobedience as well as obedience to the law. While claiming that some law-breakers may not be treated as free-riders, I also gesture at the fact that some law-obeying citizens may not be 'playing fair': in some cases, a failure to engage in civil disobedience represents a failure to do one's own part within the cooperative scheme of society.

Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182

6948891480

alsfakia@gmail.com

Hematology

Correction to: Brentuximab vedotin use in a jaundiced case with resistant Hodgkin lymphoma The original version of this article contained a mistake in one of the author names. Cem Irili should have been Cem Mirili.

Isolated extramedullary leukemic involvement of the heart presenting as fulminant heart failure

Multidimensional radar dot-plots, do we need it for the screening of acute promyelocytic leukemia?

Geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) just before allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation predicts transplant outcomes in patients older than 50 years with acute myeloid leukemia in complete remission

EBV-positive mucocutaneous ulcer within colonic diverticulitis mimicking diffuse large B cell lymphoma

The prognostic value of geriatric nutritional risk index in patients with follicular lymphoma

Efficacy and safety of oral deferasirox treatment for transfusional iron overload in pure red cell aplasia patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation

A novel nucleotide substitution in the 5′ untranslated region of ANKRD26 gene is associated with inherited thrombocytopenia: a report of two new families

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma with chromosomal translocation t(14;19)(q32;q13) occurring in IgG4-related disease

Interim PET-CT–guided therapy in elderly patients with Hodgkin lymphoma—a retrospective national multi-center study Abstract Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), a disease of mostly young patients, also peaks in the elderly. Despite the profound improvement in the outcome of young patients, in the elderly, 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates are under 70%. Interim PET-CT (iPET) is known to be highly predictive for PFS in young HL patients, but it has not been sufficiently validated in the elderly patient population. In this multi-center collaboration, all consecutive elderly patients (age ≥ 60) diagnosed with HL between 1998 and 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Baseline characteristics, outcome measures, and iPET results, classified according to the Deauville score, were recorded and analyzed. We identified 78 elderly HL patients (median age 69) who underwent iPET. ABVD was the treatment regimen in 52 (67%) patients. Eighty-three percent of patients had iPET scores of 1–3 while 17% had scores of 4–5. Patients with iPET scores of 1–3 had 5-year PFS and OS rates of 72% and 82% compared with 25% and 45%, respectively, in patients with scores of 4–5 (p < 0.001). Our findings show that iPET is highly predictive of outcome in elderly HL patients and provide evidence that iPET-guided therapy in this patient population may be key to achieving superior treatment outcome.

Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182

6948891480

alsfakia@gmail.com

Animal Microbiome

Impact of coccidiostat and phytase supplementation on gut microbiota composition and phytate degradation in broiler chickens Abstract Background There is good evidence for a substantial endogenous phytase activity originating from the epithelial tissue or the microbiota resident in the digestive tract of broiler chickens. However, ionophore coccidiostats, which are frequently used as feed additives in broiler diets to prevent coccidiosis, might affect the bacterial composition and the abundance of phytase producers in the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether supplementation of a frequently used mixture of the coccidiostats Narasin and Nicarbazin alone or together with a phytase affects microbiota composition of the digestive tract of broiler chickens, characteristics of phytate breakdown in crop and terminal ileum, and precaecal phosphorus and crude protein digestibility. Results Large differences in the microbial composition and diversity were detected between the treatments with and without coccidiostat supplementation. Disappearance of myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakis(dihydrogen phosphate) (InsP6) in the digestive tract, precaecal P digestibility, inorganic P in blood serum, and the concentration of inositol phosphate isomers in the crop and ileum digesta were significantly affected by phytase supplementation, but not by coccidiostat supplementation. Crude protein digestibility was increased by coccidiostat supplementation when more phosphate was available. Neither microbial abundance and diversity nor any other trait measured at the end of the experiment was affected by coccidiostat when it was only supplemented from day 1 to 10 of age. Conclusions The coccidiostats used herein had large effects on overall microbiota composition of the digestive tract. The coccidiostats did not seem to affect endogenous or exogenous phytase activity up to the terminal ileum of broiler chickens. The effects of phytase on growth, phosphorus digestibility, and myo-inositol release were not altered by the presence of the coccidiostats. The effects of phytase and coccidiostats on nutrient digestibility can be of significant relevance for phosphorus and protein-reduced feeding concepts if confirmed in further experiments.

Correction to: Effect of the macroalgae Asparagopsis taxiformis on methane production and rumen microbiome assemblage .

Effect of the macroalgae Asparagopsis taxiformis on methane production and rumen microbiome assemblage Abstract Background Recent studies using batch-fermentation suggest that the red macroalgae Asparagopsis taxiformis has the potential to reduce methane (CH4) production from beef cattle by up to ~ 99% when added to Rhodes grass hay; a common feed in the Australian beef industry. These experiments have shown significant reductions in CH4 without compromising other fermentation parameters (i.e. volatile fatty acid production) with A. taxiformis organic matter (OM) inclusion rates of up to 5%. In the study presented here, A. taxiformis was evaluated for its ability to reduce methane production from dairy cattle fed a mixed ration widely utilized in California, the largest milk producing state in the US. Results Fermentation in a semi-continuous in-vitro rumen system suggests that A. taxiformis can reduce methane production from enteric fermentation in dairy cattle by 95% when added at a 5% OM inclusion rate without any obvious negative impacts on volatile fatty acid production. High-throughput 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene amplicon sequencing showed that seaweed amendment effects rumen microbiome consistent with the Anna Karenina hypothesis, with increased β-diversity, over time scales of approximately 3 days. The relative abundance of methanogens in the fermentation vessels amended with A. taxiformis decreased significantly compared to control vessels, but this reduction in methanogen abundance was only significant when averaged over the course of the experiment. Alternatively, significant reductions of CH4 in the A. taxiformis amended vessels was measured in the early stages of the experiment. This suggests that A. taxiformis has an immediate effect on the metabolic functionality of rumen methanogens whereas its impact on microbiome assemblage, specifically methanogen abundance, is delayed. Conclusions The methane reducing effect of A. taxiformis during rumen fermentation makes this macroalgae a promising candidate as a biotic methane mitigation strategy for dairy cattle. But its effect in-vivo (i.e. in dairy cattle) remains to be investigated in animal trials. Furthermore, to obtain a holistic understanding of the biochemistry responsible for the significant reduction of methane, gene expression profiles of the rumen microbiome and the host animal are warranted.

Welcome to Animal Microbiome

Distinct microbiotas of anatomical gut regions display idiosyncratic seasonal variation in an avian folivore Abstract Background Current knowledge about seasonal variation in the gut microbiota of vertebrates is limited to a few studies based on mammalian fecal samples. Seasonal changes in the microbiotas of functionally distinct gut regions remain unexplored. We investigated seasonal variation (summer versus winter) and regionalization of the microbiotas of the crop, ventriculus, duodenum, cecum, and colon of the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), an avian folivore specialized on the toxic foliage of sagebrush (Artemesia spp.) in western North America. Results We sequenced the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene on an Illumina MiSeq and obtained 6,639,051 sequences with a median of 50,232 per sample. These sequences were assigned to 457 bacterial and 4 archaeal OTUs. Firmicutes (53.0%), Bacteroidetes (15.2%), Actinobacteria (10.7%), and Proteobacteria (10.1%)were the most abundant and diverse phyla. Microbial composition and richness showed significant differences among gut regions and between summer and winter. Gut region explained almost an order of magnitude more variance in our dataset than did season or the gut region × season interaction. The effect of season was uneven among gut regions. Microbiotas of the crop and cecum showed the greatest seasonal differences. Conclusions Our data suggest that seasonal differences in gut microbiota reflect seasonal variation in the microbial communities associated with food and water. Strong differentiation and uneven seasonal changes in the composition and richness of the microbiota among functionally distinct gut regions demonstrate the necessity of wider anatomical sampling for studies of composition and dynamics of the gut microbiota.

Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182

6948891480

alsfakia@gmail.com

CardioVascular and Interventional Radiology

AI in Interventional Radiology: There is Momentum for High-Quality Data Registries

Intraabdominal Hemorrhage from Ruptured Ectopic Varices Treated by Antegrade Embolization via a Recanalized Paraumbilical Vein Abstract A 49-year-old man with alcoholic liver cirrhosis was admitted to our hospital with abdominal pain. Contrast-enhanced CT demonstrated massive hemorrhagic ascites and ectopic varices fed by right colic and ileocolic veins. The varices were treated with selective embolization via a recanalized paraumbilical vein using N-butyl cyanoacrylate. Currently, no complications and rebleeding have occurred for 7 months. Antegrade embolization via a recanalized paraumbilical vein is feasible and less-invasive in a patient with massive ascites. Flow reduction may be effective for intraabdominal hemorrhage from ruptured ectopic varices. Level of Evidence Level 5, case report.

In Memoriam Prof. Friedrich Olbert

COLLISION Trial Seeks to Answer Time-Honored Question: "Thermal Ablation or Surgery for Colorectal Liver Metastases?"

Transhepatic Tract Embolisation After Biliary Intervention Using n -Butyl Cyanoacrylate and Autologous Blood: A Retrospective Analysis of 42 Patients Abstract Purpose We evaluated the safety and efficacy of transhepatic tract embolisation after a biliary intervention using n-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) and autologous blood. Materials and Methods Between January 2017 and December 2018, 42 consecutive patients (mean age: 71 ± 15 years, 24 men) with malignant (n = 26) or benign (n = 16) biliary obstructions underwent percutaneous biliary intervention followed by tract embolisation within 2 weeks. Forty-six transhepatic tracts (4 bilateral) in 42 patients were embolised using a NBCA and lipiodol mixtures (1:1–1:2 ratios) after intraductal infusion of peripherally obtained autologous blood. The indwelling catheter diameters were 8.5–14 Fr. The median interval between percutaneous biliary drainage and tract embolisation was 10 days (range 3–14 days). Glue-cast formation via fluoroscopy and immediate complications were reviewed retrospectively in medical records. Follow-up data (median: 135, range 11–720 days) including computed tomography (CT) images (n = 17) were evaluated for delayed complications and glue-cast formation. Results Successful glue-cast formations were achieved in all 46 tracts. No patients experienced haemorrhage, and only one patient had external bile leakage. Eight patients complained of abdominal pain (numerical scale ≤ 5) immediately after embolisation, which was controlled by analgesics. Two patients had transient fever. Segmental (n = 11) or sub-segmental (n = 6) glue-cast patterns were identified along the transhepatic tract by follow-up CT. No biliary obstructions were caused by inadvertent glue spread. Fragmented glue was detected outside the stent in one patient. Conclusion Transhepatic parenchymal tract embolisation with NBCA and autologous blood is a safe and feasible method for preventing bile leakage. Level of Evidence Level 4, Case Series.

Distal Edge Stenosis After Stent Placement for Isolated Superior Mesenteric Artery Dissection: Mechanisms and Risk Factor Analysis Abstract Purpose To analyze factors potentially associated with the occurrence of distal edge stenosis after stent placement for isolated superior mesenteric artery dissection (ISMAD). Materials and Methods Cases of consecutive patients who were diagnosed with spontaneous ISMAD between February 2010 and July 2018 were retrospectively identified. Of the 123 cases identified, 45 patients (42 men; three women) underwent endovascular stent placement and were included in the study. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess factors potentially associated with distal edge stenosis. Results The technical success rate among study patients was 100%. During 26.7 ± 17.3 months of follow-up, CT angiography demonstrated good distal edge patency in 25 patients (55.6%) and evidence of distal edge stenosis in 20 patients (44.4%). In univariate analysis, stent length (odds radio [OR] 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01, 1.06; P = .02), stent-to-vessel (S/V) diameter ratio (OR 2.27; 95% CI 1.35, 3.82; P < .01), and angulation at the distal edge (OR 1.05; 95% CI 1.00, 1.10; P =.03) were significantly associated with distal edge stenosis; only S/V diameter ratio (OR 3.36; 95% CI 1.41, 7.99; P < .01) and angulation at the distal edge (OR 1.12; 95% CI 1.01, 1.23; P =.03) retained this significance in multivariate analysis. Conclusions Distal edge stenosis after stent placement for ISMAD is common. S/V diameter ratio and angulation at the distal edge are independent risk factors for distal edge stenosis in patients with ISMAD who undergo stent placement.

Periprocedural Heparin During Endovascular Treatment of Tandem Lesions in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Propensity Score Analysis from TITAN Registry Abstract Background and Purpose Data on safety and efficacy of periprocedural use of heparin are limited during treatment of acute ischemic stroke patients with anterior circulation tandem occlusion. This study aimed to investigate the impact of heparin use during endovascular therapy of anterior circulation tandem occlusions on the functional and safety outcomes. Methods A retrospective analysis of the multicenter observational TITAN registry was performed. Patients with anterior circulation tandem occlusion and treated with endovascular therapy (EVT) were included, with or without extracranial carotid intervention. We divided patients into two groups based on periprocedural heparin use (heparin vs. non-heparin). The dose of intravenous unfractionated heparin ranged from 1500 to 2500 I.U. Primary study endpoint was 90-day Modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Secondary study endpoint included angiographic and safety endpoints such as hemorrhagic complications. A propensity-score-matched analysis was performed. Results Among 369 patients, heparin was used in 68 patients (18.4%). In the propensity-score-matched cohort, favorable outcome (mRS 0–2) occurred in 51.3% in heparin group and 58.0% in non-heparin group (matched OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.32–1.78; P = 0.52). Similar result was found in propensity-score-adjusted cohort (adjusted OR, 0.72; 95%CI, 0.39–1.32; P = 0.28). Likewise, there was no difference in the rate of successful reperfusion (mTICI 2b-3) (propensity-score-adjusted OR, 1.03; 95%CI, 0.50–2.09; P = 0.93) neither in safety endpoints between the two groups. Conclusions Periprocedural heparin use during EVT of anterior circulation tandem occlusions was not associated with better functional, angiographic or safety outcomes. These findings are applicable for low doses of heparin, and further studies are warranted.

Long-Term Single-Center Retrospective Follow-Up After Embolization of Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations Treated Over a 20-year Period: Frequency of Re-canalization with Various Embolization Materials and Clinical Outcome Abstract Purpose The present study is a register-based observational study of an unselected consecutive patient cohort with pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) from a single national hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia and PAVM embolization center. The aim was to investigate the frequency of re-embolizations and the clinical outcome after embolization with the use of different embolization materials further, to define which PAVM morphology and size of feeding arteries that most often were re-embolized, and to estimate the clinical outcome of the patients including those that were re-embolized. Methods The population was included from 1996 until 2016 and was made up of a total of 136 patients with 322 PAVMs. Median follow-up was 38.3 (0.3–241 months). Results The re-embolization rate was 9.3%. None of the PAVMs treated with detachable silicone balloons were re-embolized, while 4.5% treated with vascular plugs and 11.7% treated with coils were re-embolized (p=0.07). In total, 16/74 complex PAVMs were re-embolized compared with 14/248 simple PAVMs. In big-sized feeding arteries ≥ 6mm, 16/112 were re-embolized compared with 14/210 with smaller-sized feeding arteries. Out of the 30 re-embolized PAVMs, 23 resulted in a successful clinical outcome. Conclusions Our results suggest that standard coils probably should not be the first choice for embolization of PAVMs, and vascular plug alone or in combination with coils might be a better primary option for embolization in these patients. Level of Evidence Level 3A, non-randomized case controlled cohort/follow-up study.

In Vivo Feasibility of Arterial Embolization with Permanent and Absorbable Suture: The FAIR-Embo Concept Abstract Purpose Arterial embolization has been shown to be effective and safe for the management of bleeding, especially for postpartum and pelvic traumatic bleeding. We propose to evaluate the proof of concept of feasibility and effectiveness of arterial embolization with absorbable and non-absorbable sutures in a porcine model. Materials and Methods In the acute setting (n = 1), several different arteries (mesenteric, splenic, pharyngeal, kidney) were embolized using non-absorbable sutures (NAS): Mersutures™ braided sutures (polyethylene terephthalate). In the chronic setting (n = 3), only lower pole renal arteries were embolized. On the right side, NAS was used, whereas on the left side embolization was realized with absorbable suture (AS): Vicryl® braided suture (polyglactin 910). The chronic group was followed for 3 months. The pigs received contrast-enhanced CT the day before embolization (D-1), after the embolization (D0), at 1 month and 3 months after embolization (M1 and M3); digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was done at D0 and M3 and histological analysis at M3. Results All vascular targets were effectively embolized without any pre- or postoperative complications. Both DSAs and CTs at M3 showed a 100% recanalization rate for the AS embolization and a partial reversal rate for the NAS embolization. A renal hypotrophy in the embolized region was observed during both the M1 and M3 scans for both sutures (AS and NAS) with a clear hypotrophy for the NAS embolized kidney. Conclusion Embolization by AS and NAS (FAIR-Embo) is a feasible and effective treatment which opens up the possibility of global use of this inexpensive and widely available embolization agent.

The Safety of Continuing Therapeutic Anticoagulation During Inferior Vena Cava Filter Retrieval: A 6-Year Retrospective Review from a Tertiary Centre Abstract Purpose Assess the safety of inferior vena cava (IVC) filter retrieval in patients taking anticoagulation, compared to a non-anticoagulated cohort. Materials and Methods Single-centre retrospective analysis of patients who underwent IVC filter retrieval between January 2012 and February 2018. Information about patient demographics, anticoagulation, tilt, major and minor complications was collected. Major complications were defined as: IVC injury from the filter retrieval, retained fragment of filter, filter fracture and filter embolisation. Minor complications were defined as: neck haematoma and puncture site infection. Results Total of 357 patients (age 18–95, Male: 231) underwent IVC filter retrieval, comprising of Cook Celect Platinum, Cook Celect, and ALN-branded filters. Of these 182 patients were on anticoagulation and 175 patients were not on anticoagulation, based on the indication for the filter (thrombosis or prophylaxis) and at the discretion of the referring unit who were managing the anticoagulation. IVC filter retrieval was technically successful in 349 patients. Five major complications (1.4% of retrievals) were recorded and no minor complications (0% of retrievals). In the anticoagulation cohort, there were two major complications (1.1% of retrievals) both related to IVC injury. In the non-anticoagulated cohort, there were three major complications (1.7% of retrievals) relating to filter embolisation, IVC injury, and filter fracture. Conclusions IVC filter retrieval is a safe procedure with a low complication rate. Being on anticoagulation does not increase the risk of a major complication or change the management of major complication compared with a non-anticoagulated cohort. IVC filter retrieval is safe to perform in patients currently taking prophylactic or therapeutic anticoagulation based on our cohort. Level of Evidence Level 3, retrospective cohort study.

Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182

6948891480

alsfakia@gmail.com

Climatic Change

Climatic variations within the dry valleys in southwestern China and the influences of artificial reservoirs Abstract Climatic variation within a typical dry-valley area located in the southern Hengduan Mountains of China is studied, and the potential regional climate influences of large reservoirs in the area are discussed. Six meteorological stations near a reservoir are identified and classified into two categories (dry and non-dry valleys) to compare their level of climate change. Temperatures tended to increase since 1990 with a precipitation shift toward the dry season in both dry and non-dry valleys. Wavelet analysis shows that temperature and precipitation have significant variation with periods of 3.6 and 16.5 years, respectively. The standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) shows that dry valleys have multiple drought trends. Temperature in non-dry valleys changed more than that in dry valleys, but the variations of other indices in the two categories of valleys are not statistically different. The climatic variation of one station is in accordance with the reservoir filling, which is related to the orientation of the reservoir in the prevailing wind direction especially during summer. This study provides a profile of the climate change of dry valleys and documents the influence of large artificial reservoirs on regional climate.

Addressing ambiguity in probabilistic assessments of future coastal flooding using possibility distributions Abstract Decision-making in the area of coastal adaptation is facing major challenges due to ambiguity (i.e., deep uncertainty) pertaining to the selection of a probability model for sea level rise (SLR) projections. Possibility distributions are mathematical tools that address this type of uncertainty since they bound all the plausible probability models that are consistent with the available data. In the present study, SLR uncertainties are represented by a possibility distribution constrained by likely ranges provided in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report and by a review of high-end scenarios. On this basis, we propose a framework combining probabilities and possibilities to evaluate how SLR uncertainties accumulate with other sources of uncertainties, such as future greenhouse gas emissions, upper bounds of future sea level changes, the regional variability of sea level changes, the vertical ground motion, and the contributions of extremes and wave effects. We apply the framework to evaluate the probability of coastal flooding by the year 2100 at a local, low-lying coastal French urban area on the Mediterranean coast. We show that when adaptation is limited to maintaining current defenses, the level of ambiguity is too large to precisely assign a probability model to future flooding. Raising the coastal walls by 85 cm creates a safety margin that may not be considered sufficient by local stakeholders. A sensitivity analysis highlights the key role of deep uncertainties pertaining to global SLR and of the statistical uncertainty related to extremes. The ranking of uncertainties strongly depends on the decision-maker's attitude to risk (e.g., neutral, averse), which highlights the need for research combining advanced mathematical theories of uncertainties with decision analytics and social science.

Impacts of climate warming, cultivar shifts, and phenological dates on rice growth period length in China after correction for seasonal shift effects Abstract Crop phenology changes are important indicators of climate change. Climate change impacts on crop phenology are generally investigated through statistical analysis of the relationship between growth period length and growth period mean temperature. However, growth periods may be either earlier or later in a given year; hence, changes in mean temperature indicate both the effects of climate change and those attributable to seasonal temperature differences. Failure to consider temperature change resulting from seasonal shifts can lead to biased estimation of warming trends and their corresponding impact on phenology. We evaluated this potential bias in rice phenology change in 892 phenology series from China by applying time series regression control for phenological dates. The results indicate that the true magnitudes of climate change for early rice, late rice, and single rice are 0.20–0.56, 0.23–0.86, and 0.28–0.38 K/decade, after correction for the effects of seasonal shifts. The effects of seasonal shifts of growth periods led to underestimates of the magnitude of climate change by 0.16–0.22 and 0.05–0.08 K/decade for early rice and single rice, respectively, and an overestimate of the effect for late rice of 0.02–0.06 K/decade. Correspondingly, the net warming impacts on growth period length after correcting for the effects of seasonal shifts were − 2.7 d/K for early rice, − 4.8 d/K for late rice, and − 3.1 d/K for single rice, which were weaker for early and single rice, but stronger for late rice, relative to previous reports. Changes in growth period length were most closely associated with variation in phenological dates, while their relationship with climate change was less pronounced. Our results indicate that earlier phenological dates and prolonged-duration cultivars have been adopted to offset the impact of climate change, providing further evidence of active adaptation of rice cultivation practice to climate change in China.

Global warming to increase flood risk on European railways Abstract For effective disaster risk management and adaptation planning, a good understanding of current and projected flood risk is required. Recent advances in quantifying flood risk at the regional and global scale have largely neglected critical infrastructure, or addressed this important sector with insufficient detail. Here, we present the first European-wide assessment of current and future flood risk to railway tracks for different global warming scenarios using an infrastructure-specific damage model. We find that the present risk, measured as expected annual damage, to railway networks in Europe is approx. €581 million per year, with the highest risk relative to the length of the network in North Macedonia, Croatia, Norway, Portugal, and Germany. Based on an ensemble of climate projections for RCP8.5, we show that current risk to railway networks is projected to increase by 255% under a 1.5 °C, by 281% under a 2 °C, and by 310% under a 3 °C warming scenario. The largest increases in risk under a 3 °C scenario are projected for Slovakia, Austria, Slovenia, and Belgium. Our advances in the projection of flood risk to railway infrastructure are important given their criticality, and because losses to public infrastructure are usually not insured or even uninsurable in the private market. To cover the risk increase due to climate change, European member states would need to increase expenditure in transport by €1.22 billion annually under a 3 °C warming scenario without further adaptation. Limiting global warming to the 1.5 °C goal of the Paris Agreement would result in avoided losses of €317 million annually.

Substantial increase in minimum lake surface temperatures under climate change Abstract The annual minimum of lake surface water temperature influences ecological and biogeochemical processes, but variability and change in this extreme have not been investigated. Here, we analysed observational data from eight European lakes and investigated the changes in annual minimum surface water temperature. We found that between 1973 and 2014, the annual minimum lake surface temperature has increased at an average rate of + 0.35 °C decade−1, comparable to the rate of summer average lake surface temperature change during the same period (+ 0.32 °C decade−1). Coherent responses to climatic warming are observed between the increase in annual minimum lake surface temperature and the increase in winter air temperature variations. As a result of the rapid warming of annual minimum lake surface temperatures, some of the studied lakes no longer reach important minimum surface temperature thresholds that occur in winter, with complex and significant potential implications for lakes and the ecosystem services that they provide.

A multi-temporal analysis of streamflow using multiple CMIP5 GCMs in the Upper Ayerawaddy Basin, Myanmar Abstract In this study, bias-corrected daily rainfall data of eight global climate models (GCMs) was used as input for a hydrologic model (Hydrological Engineering Center - Hydrological Modeling System (HEC-HMS)) to simulate daily streamflow in the Upper Ayerawaddy River basin (UARB), Myanmar. Monthly, seasonal, annual, and decadal mean flows, calculated for the baseline (1975–2014), were compared with projections for future periods (2040s: 2021–2060 and 2080s: 2061–2100) under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5). The spread of low flows (10th and 25th percentile of daily flows) and high flows (75th, 90th, and 100th percentiles) were analyzed for each period. The ensemble of GCMs indicates an increase in mean monthly (except in October and November), seasonal (except post-monsoon), annual, and decadal rainfalls and corresponding flows in the UARB. Future low flows are expected to have high variability while high flows are expected to have higher means than that of baseline. The density distribution analysis of baseline and future flows reveals that future periods are likely to experience an increase in the magnitude of mean flows but a decrease in variability. Rainfall extremes indicated by 1-day maximum rainfall, 5-day consecutive maximum rainfall, and the number of extreme rainfall days reveals frequent wetter extremes in the UARB under future climate conditions. Extreme floods, as estimated by the frequency analysis of daily flows, are also expected to become more frequent during the future periods. These changes in flows can be attributed solely to climate change since the analyses did not account impacts of possible land use change and water resources development in the UARB. This study is a good starting point to assess future flows, and further research is recommended to address the limitations of this study for improved understanding and assessments that will prove useful for planning purposes in the study area.

Beliefs about climate change in the aftermath of extreme flooding Abstract When faced with natural disasters, communities respond in diverse ways, with processes that reflect their cultures, needs, and the extent of damage incurred by the community. Because of their potentially recurring nature, floods offer an opportunity for communities to learn from and adapt to these experiences with the goal of increasing resiliency through reflection, modification of former policies, and adoption of new policies. A key component of a community's ability to learn from disaster is how community members perceive the causes of extreme flood events and whether there is risk of future similar events. Perceptions of causes of flooding, including climate change, may be influenced by experiencing a flood event, along with individual preferences for various policies put in place to help a community recover. Using data collected from two rounds of public surveys (n = 903) across six Colorado communities flooded in 2013, we investigate whether there is variation across causal understanding of flooding, and whether this variation can be linked to differences in proximity of damages experienced (personal property, neighborhood, or community). By analyzing these variables, along with other variables (time since flood, political affiliation, and worldview), this study improves our understanding of the factors that drive our beliefs about potential causes of floods, focusing on climate change. The findings suggest that the extent of damage experienced at the neighborhood and community levels can have a significant effect on the perceptions of climate change held by the public. In turn, these beliefs about climate change are positively associated with perceptions of risks of future flooding.

Towards a comprehensive characterization of evidence in synthesis assessments: the climate change impacts on the Brazilian water resources Abstract The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has put a lot of efforts to describe uncertainties and to judge the confidence level of its major conclusions. Despite a guidance to communicate uncertainty, the assignment of confidence is not sufficiently clear and, thus, hard to be reproduced by the extern community. By conducting a synthesis assessment about the impacts of climate change on the Brazilian water resources, we identified an opportunity to illustrate the characterization of evidence as adopted in IPCC reports. We propose a method to describe the evidence from model outputs wherein the quality and amount of studies, as well as the consistency among their conclusions, are subject of a transparent rating procedure. In summary, the more comprehensive the study in sampling uncertainties, the higher its quality. Likewise, the amount and consistencyamong conclusions is assigned in a systematic way. The method is applied for synthesizing a collection of 42 peer-reviewed articles. It reveals important aspects about the evidence of the potential impacts of climate change in the Brazilian water resources, such as changes into a drier hydrological regime. However, the use of multi-model ensemble, the evaluation of models, and the observational data is limited. The proposed method enables consistent communication of the degree of evidence in a transparent, traceable, and comprehensive fashion. The method can be used as a tool to support experts on their judgment. The approach is reproducible and can guide synthesis work not only in Brazil but anywhere else.

Global and regional impacts of climate change at different levels of global temperature increase Abstract The assessment of the impacts of climate change at different levels of global warming helps inform national and international policy discussion around mitigation targets. This paper provides consistent estimates of global and regional impacts and risks at increases in global mean temperature up to 5 °C above pre-industrial levels, for over 30 indicators representing temperature extremes and heatwaves, hydrological change, floods and droughts and proxies for impacts on crop yields. At the global scale, all the impacts that could plausibly be either adverse or beneficial are adverse, and impacts and risks increase with temperature change. For example, the global average chance of a major heatwave increases from 5% in 1981–2010 to 28% at 1.5 °C and 92% at 4 °C, of an agricultural drought increases from 9 to 24% at 1.5 °C and 61% at 4 °C, and of the 50-year return period river flood increases from 2 to 2.4% at 1.5 °C and 5.4% at 4 °C. The chance of a damaging hot spell for maize increases from 5 to 50% at 4 °C, whilst the chance for rice rises from 27 to 46%. There is considerable uncertainty around these central estimates, and impacts and risks vary between regions. Some impacts—for example heatwaves—increase rapidly as temperature increases, whilst others show more linear responses. The paper presents estimates of the risk of impacts exceeding specific targets and demonstrates that these estimates are sensitive to the thresholds used.

Changes in vegetation and surface water balance at basin-scale in Central China with rising atmospheric CO 2 Abstract Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration alters vegetation growth and composition, increases plant water use efficiency (WUE), and changes surface water balance. These changes and their differences between wet and dry climate are studied at a mid-latitude experiment site in the Loess Plateau of China. The study site, the Jinghe River basin (JRB), covers an area of 43,216 km2 and has a semiarid climate in the north and a semi-humid climate in the south. Two simulations from 1965 to 2012 are made using a site-calibrated Lund–Potsdam–Jena dynamic global vegetation model: one with the observed rise of the atmospheric CO2 from 319.7–391.2 ppmv, and the other with a fixed CO2 at the level of 1964 (318.9 ppmv). Analyses of the model results show that the elevated atmospheric CO2 promotes growth of woody vegetation (trees) and causes a 6.0% increase in basin-wide net primary production (NPP). The NPP increase uses little extra water however because of higher WUE. Further examination of the surface water budget reveals opposite CO2 effects between semiarid and semi-humid climates in the JRB. In the semiarid climate, plants sustain growth in higher CO2 because of the higher level of intracellular CO2 and therefore WUE, thus consuming more water and causing a greater decrease of surface runoff than in the fixed-lower CO2 case. In the semi-humid climate, NPP also increases but by a smaller amount than in the semiarid climate. Plant transpiration (ET) and total evapotranspiration (E) decrease in the elevated CO2 environment, yielding the increase of runoff. This asymmetry of the effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 exacerbates drying in the semiarid climate and enhances wetness in the semi-humid climate. Furthermore, plant WUE (=NPP/ET) is found to be nearly invariant to climate but primarily a function of the atmospheric CO2 concentration, a result suggesting a strong constraint of atmospheric CO2 on biophysical properties of the Earth system.

Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182

6948891480

alsfakia@gmail.com

Chromatographia

Ajay Kumar Mishra (Ed): Smart Ceramics: Preparation, Properties, and Applications

Raymond Hill, Terry Kenakin and Tom Blackburn (Eds): Pharmacology for Chemists—Drug Discovery in Context

Congress, Conferences, and Workshops

Identification and Quantification of Related Impurities of a Novel Ketolide Antibiotic Nafithromycin Abstract Nafithromycin (NFT, WCK 4873) is a novel antimicrobial drug being developed to treat infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria. It is a second-generation drug of the lactone ketolide class. A mass spectrometry-compatible reversed-phase liquid chromatographic method was developed to separate and identify the impurities in NFT. Forced degradation (FD) study ensured specificity of the method and revealed the probable degradation products. Seven process impurities and five degradation products were chromatographically resolved and identified based on the protonated molecule peak and product ions. Process impurities were synthesized and characterized for identity and purity. Separation was achieved on the XTerra C18 stationary phase using the binary gradient method. Mobile phase 'A' constituted of a mixture of an aqueous solution of ammonium acetate (pH 9.0), acetonitrile and methanol in the ratio of (48:27:25, v/v/v). Mobile phase 'B' constituted of an aqueous solution of ammonium acetate (pH 9.0) and acetonitrile in the ratio of (05:95, v/v). The method was validated for accurate and precise quantification of the impurities. The developed method was employed for quality control and stability studies of the NFT drug substance used for pre-clinical and clinical studies. Graphical Abstract

Simultaneous Capillary Liquid Chromatography Determination of Drugs in Pharmaceutical Preparations Using Tunable Platforms of Polymethacrylate Monolithic Columns Modified with Octadecylamine Abstract Nowadays, analytical techniques tend to develop cheap and green approaches to reduce the costs and minimize environmental impacts. In this study, poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) monoliths were prepared in capillary columns (0.25 mm i.d. × 20 cm length) as reactive and tunable platforms, and then simply functionalized based on a ring-opening reaction of epoxide with octadecylamine. The columns were successfully used as reversed-phase stationary phases for determination of ascorbic acid, paracetamol, caffeine, aspirin, and ibuprofen in pharmaceutical combinations. The synthesized monoliths have been estimated by FT-IR spectroscopy, SEM and specific surface area; also, the porous and hydrodynamic properties have verified the differences before and after modification. While the columns before modification were unable to separate the drugs, the columns after amination allowed for the complete separation of the five drugs in about 10 min at 23 µL min−1 flow rate with chromatographic resolution more than 2.12. The developed assay showed excellent suitability (RSDs < 2.6%), wide linear ranges (0.07–300 µg mL−1), sensitive detection limits (0.022–0.060 µg mL−1), good repeatability (RSDs < 4.76%) and acceptable columns reproducibility (RSDs < 18.58%). The method was successfully applied for commercial pharmaceutical preparations; the average recovery values were found to be in the range of 98.03–104.54% (RSDs < 5.51%). The satisfactory recovery percentages along with the perfect correlation between the retentions of standard compounds and the active ingredients extracted from the commercial tablets indicate the accuracy and selectivity of the developed method. The prepared columns and validated method were finally compared with previous reports, particularly commercial C18 stationary phases. This is a very useful comparison due to the structural similarity between the prepared polymeric materials and C18 particulate stationary phases. The prepared capillary columns exhibited various advantages such as the fast separation time, wide linear ranges, low analysis costs, and trivial environmental wastes. Graphical Abstract

A Covalent Organic Framework-Derived Hydrophilic Magnetic Graphene Composite as a Unique Platform for Detection of Phthalate Esters from Packaged Milk Samples Abstract The development of functional nanocomposites based on covalent organic framework (COF) is still highly important. In this work, a novel COF-functionalized hydrophilic magnetic graphene (magG@PDA@TbBd) was prepared through a facile and efficient route and applied as a unique magnetic solid-phase extraction matrix for phthalate esters analysis. The obtained magG@PDA@TbBd exhibited excellent water dispersibility, large surface area, strong magnetic response, regular mesoporous structure and strong π–π electron system. Based on these properties, the newly prepared composite displayed outstanding reusability and potential performances on phthalates analysis with good linearity (50–8000 ng mL−1) and reliable recoveries (91.4–105.2%). Limit of detection (LOD) varied from 0.004 ng mL−1 to 0.02 ng mL−1, and relative standard deviation (RSD) for intra-day and inter-day were less than 4.4% and 6.7%, respectively. More interestingly, the newly obtained magG@PDA@TbBd was utilized to analyze 9 PAEs in packaged milk samples. This work may open-up a direction in design and construction of functionalized COF-derived composites.

Determination of Semicarbazide in Foodstuffs by HPLC with Fluorescence Detection Using 2-Formylphenylboronic Acid as Derivatization Reagent Abstract Semicarbazide (SEM), a widespread toxic food contaminant, is a stable metabolite of antibiotic nitrofurazone and widely found in some foodstuffs, such as shrimp or bread. A simple and sensitive method was developed for the determination of SEM by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. SEM can be labeled by 2-formylphenylboronic acid (FPBA) within 7 min at room temperature. The FPBA-SEM derivative was identified with electrospray ionization mass spectrometer in positive mode. It was found that the MS mainly gave [M + H]+ at m/z 189.8, and MS/MS gave a high abundance of a fragment ion at m/z 146.9. The derivative was completely separated on a reversed-phase Eclipse XDB-C18 column within 5 min, and excellent selectivity was obtained with fluorescence detection at specific excitation and emission wavelengths (λex = 265 and λem = 320 nm). The new method showed the lower limit of detection of 0.36 μg L−1 and the limit of quantitation of 1.17 μg L−1. Linearity with correlation coefficient of 0.995 and satisfactory accuracy ranging from 94.42 to 106.78% were obtained. This proposed method was successfully applied to determination of SEM in bread and shrimp. The developed method should have a powerful potential for the rapid determination of trace SEM in foodstuffs. Graphical Abstract

Polyethyleneimine Functionalized Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes-Based Solid Phase Extraction for Selective Screening of Carboxylic Acid Compounds in Natural Products Abstract In this work, by adopting polyethyleneimine functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes as the absorbent, a solid phase extraction based method for fast and selective screening of carboxylic acid compounds was developed. The structure and morphology of the polyethyleneimine functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes were confirmed via scanning electron micrograph, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. And the proposed approach was successfully applied to screen carboxylic compounds from the crude extract of Perilla frutescens. As a result, seven polyhydric compounds with carboxyl including caffeic acid, luteolin-7-O-diglucuronide, apigenin-7-O-diglucuronide, sagerinic acid, scutellarein-7-O-glucuronide, rosmarinic acid, and apigenin-7-O-glucuronide were favorably screened out from compounds without carboxyl group. Similar screening results were also obtained via generalizing the method to the crude extract of Chrysanthemum. This strategy could serve as a rapid and efficient pathway for preliminary screening of certain types of compounds from complex natural products.

Py–GC–MS and PCA Analysis Approach for the Detection of Illegal Waste Combustion Processes In Central Heating Furnaces Abstract Domestic waste combustion in central heating furnaces is illegal in many countries, including Poland, but unfortunately still occurs. These activities have a negative influence on the environment and human health. The local nature of this process makes it difficult to effectively counteract this phenomenon. Information campaigns about the impact of domestic waste combustion in central heating furnaces, especially the impact on human health, are necessary, but undertaking parallel control activities is much more important. To control activity, support is necessary to develop a suitable method to confirm domestic waste combustion in central heating furnaces. In the present preliminary study, we have investigated two methods. The first method is indirect, it is based on the analytical pyrolysis of organic residues in ash and provides direct information on the type of plastic subjected to combustion. The second method is based on the principal component analysis (PCA) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in ash samples. Special attention was paid to sixteen PAHs: naphthalene, acenaphthene, acenaphthylene, fluorene, anthracene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, pyrene, chrysene, benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(e)pyrene, benzo(b+k)fluoranthene, dibenzo(a,h)anthracene+ indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, benzo(g,h,i)perylene, and perylene.

Dehydration of a Water Stationary Phase as a Novel Separation Gradient in Capillary Supercritical Fluid Chromatography Abstract A novel alternative to gradient elution in capillary supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) based upon the systematic removal of a water stationary phase from the column, using a pure CO2 mobile phase, is introduced. By adjusting the flow of water used to humidify the system, the stationary phase can be removed at different rates and this results in proportionately faster analyte elution. As well, the phase can be readily restored within a few minutes. The method demonstrates good reproducibility with analyte retention times yielding an RSD of 1.2% in consecutive trials. Further, it provides results that compare well to a conventional pressure program in capillary SFC, but without the problematic convolution of system pressure and flow rate. The technique also demonstrated the ability to refocus analytes into sharper peaks, resulting in a 30-fold increase in their peak height. This effect can improve detection limits and also allow ionizable analytes like amines and dicarboxylic acids to be eluted with improved peak shape. Results indicate that systematic removal of a water stationary phase from the column is an interesting and potentially effective alternate means of controlling and improving analyte elution in capillary SFC. Graphical Abstract

Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182

6948891480

alsfakia@gmail.com