Hybrid uranyl-vanadium nano-wheels.

Hybrid uranyl-vanadium oxide clusters intermediate between transition metal polyoxometalates and uranyl peroxide cage clusters were obtained by dissolving uranyl nitrate in the ionic liquid 3-ethyl-1-methylimidazolium ethyl sulfate mixed with an aqueous solution containing vanadium. Where sulfate was present, wheel-shaped {U20V20} crystallized and contains ten sulfate tetrahedra, and in the absence of added sulfate, {U2V16}, a derivative of {V18}, was obtained.

Removal of methylene blue from waste water using micellar enhanced ultrafiltration.

Ultrafiltration of micellar solutions containing sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) and oxyethylated coconut fatty acid methyl esters (OMC-10) and their binary mixtures were studied and used to recover methylene blue. This was achieved through solubilization in mixed negatively charged micelles. Under the experimental conditions used, no significant fouling of the membrane comprising of cellulose, polyethersulfone and polyvinylidene fluoride was observed, with no retardation of ultrafiltration. The introduction of a nonionic surfactant to SDS reduced the critical micelle concentration of mixed micelles and then the concentration of surfactants in the permeate, i.e., from 8.3 x 10(-3)M for SDS to 2.0 x 10(-3) M for the mixture of SDS:OMC-10 = 4:1. Such a tailored surfactant mixture enabled the authors to achieve 93-94% retention of methylene blue using a hydrophilic membrane made of cellulose. Ultrafiltration of micellar solutions could also be considered a research method, helpful in determining important parameters such as micelle loading and the micelle binding constant used to characterize micellar solutions. Additionally the distribution coefficient employed in extraction studies can be resolved.

Recovery of phenol from aqueous streams in hollow fiber modules.

A setup with two parallel hollow-fiber modules was used to study the recovery of phenol from aqueous solutions. Cyanex 923, Amberlite LA-2, and trioctylamine (TOA) in aliphatic kerosene were used as carriers. A solution of 0.2 M NaOH was used for stripping. It was found that each of the studied carriers permitted the effective removal of phenol. Cyanex 923 showed the best performance, removing phenol in the shortest time and giving the highest fluxes and the highest mass-transfer coefficients. The maximum fluxes of phenol entering the receiving phase changed in the following ratio: Cyanex 923/Amberlite LA-2/TOA = 3.5/1.5/1. The mass-transfer coefficient in the extraction step changed in the same order: 34/5.2/1. The mass-transfer coefficients of the stripping step were 2-4 orders lower than in the extraction step and were comparable for each carrier: Cyanex 923/Amberlite LA-2/TOA = 1.1/0.7/1. Using Cyanex 923, only 5 min were needed to recover 99% of the pollutant from the aqueous stream, containing 0.5-2 g L(-1) phenol.

Correlations among prostatic-specific antigen, Gleason score, staging and grading in patients after radical prostatectomy.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the correlation between Gleason grade, T stage, tumour grade and preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level (< or > 20 ng/mL) in patients after radical prostatectomy (RP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The serum total PSA level was measured 3 months before surgery in 87 patients who then underwent RP between 1994 and 2000; the tumour specimens were staged and graded. RESULTS: There were 57 (66%) patients with a PSA level of < 20 ng/mL; in this group only four (7%) patients had a Gleason grade of > 7 and eight (14%) had G3 tumours. Thirty (34%) patients had a PSA level of > 20 ng/mL; in this group only two (7%) patients had a Gleason grade of > 7 and 26 (87%) had G1 and G2 tumours. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm our previous observations that the PSA level cannot be use as the only factor to indicate RP in patients with prostate cancer, but further evaluation on more patients is needed.

Separation of phenols from aqueous micellar solutions by cloud point extraction.

The cloud point technique was used to recover phenol, 4-methylphenol, and 4-nitrophenol from aqueous solutions using oxyethylated methyl dodecanoates as nonionic surfactants. Oxyethylated methyl dodecanoates are convenient nonionic surfactants for such separations. Their cloud points can be easily modified by a change in surfactant hydrophilicity or by the addition of a second nonionic surfactant and/or an electrolyte. The use of the hydrophile lipophile balance is preferred to model the cloud point of oxyethylated methyl dodecanoates and their mixtures with other surfactants. The composition of the surfactant-rich phase depends on electrolyte type and the overheating. The phase can contain only 5-15% of water. Recovery of phenols changes in the order 4-nitrophenol >4-methylphenol > phenol and is increased in the presence of sodium chloride. The presence of salting-out electrolytes is preferred both to decrease the cloud point and to increase the efficiency of extraction.

Removal of phenols from aqueous streams by the cloud point extraction technique with oxyethylated methyl dodecanoates as surfactants.

New oxyethylated methyl dodecanoates with average degrees of oxyethylation (n) ranging between 5 and 14 (denoted OMD-n) were considered as nonionic surfactants for the removal of phenol, 4-methylphenol, and 4-nitrophenol from aqueous streams by the cloud point extraction technique. The cloud point (denoted CP) strongly increases with the average degree of oxyethylation n but is independent of OMD-n concentration, except at low concentration (i.e., < 10 g.L-1). CP can be related to the surfactant hydrophilicity by the following equation: CP(degree C) = 20.27 x HLBG - 245.8 (above 10 g.L-1 and in the absence of electrolyte), where HLBG refers to the OMD-n hydrophile-lipophile balance in Griffin's scale. The presence of electrolyte such as NaCl strongly decreases the cloud point [delta CP/delta [NaCl] approximately -(9 +/- 1) degrees C-M-1]. Many parameters influence the extraction of phenols in OMD-n-rich phases, including the characteristics of phenols (hydrophobicity, hydrogen-bond acidity, hydrogen-bond basicity, etc.), the average degree of oxyethylation of OMD-n (i.e., n), the concentration of electrolyte, the settling temperature (Tset), and overheating (delta T = Tset - CP). The distribution coefficients typically range between 20 and 100. Finally, the kinetics of the separation process is limited by the slow coalescence of the fine droplets of surfactant-rich phase formed above CP.

Recovery of zinc(II) from HCl spent pickling solutions by solvent extraction.

Recovery of zinc(II) from HCl spent pickling solutions by solvent extraction using CYANEX921, CYANEX923, CYANEX302, tributyl phosphate, and ALAMINE336 extractants was studied. Tributyl phosphate was selected as suitable extractant. It permitted both effective zinc(II) extraction and the stripping from loaded organic phase with water. The presence of iron(II) did not affect zinc extraction, and only negligible oxidation of iron(II) was observed during extraction experiments. CYANEX reagents and ALAMINE336 extracted zinc(II) strongly, but the stripping with water was ineffective. Moreover, a significant oxidation of iron(II) to iron(III) occurred during extraction. Each of three reagents (CYANEX923, ALAMINE336 and TBP) extracted iron(III) very well. Thus, if iron(III) was present in the spent pickling solution, prior to the extraction it had to be reduced to iron(II). The oxidation was low for tributyl phosphate and high for CYANEX923 and ALAMINE336. CYANEX302 was inactive both for zinc(II) and iron(III) and could not be used for extraction of zinc(II) from spent pickling hydrochloric acid solutions.

Estimation of Distribution Parameters of Organic Solutes in Cloud Point Extraction.

Cloud point extraction of aromatic solutes in the system containing nonionic surfactant polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether (PONPE 10) was discussed in terms of their hydrogen-bond donating and accepting abilities and hydrophobicity. It was shown that the Abraham model could be used to estimate the distribution ratio and the effect of aromatic solutes on the cloud point. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Ultrafiltration of Micellar Solutions Containing Phenols.

Micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration represents a potentially attractive tool for the removal of different contaminants from wastewaters. The ultrafiltration of micellar solutions containing phenol or 4-nitrophenol was studied. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium sulfate, alkyl polyglucoside Glucopon 215 SC UP, and oxyethylated methyl dodecanoates with the average degree of oxyethylation equal to 5 and 9 were used as surfactants and NaHCO(3) as an electrolyte and alkalizing agent. Filtration and phenol rejection depends on the presence of NaHCO(3) and the type of surfactant. NaHCO(3) depresses to the filtration rate, especially in the case of SDS and hydrophobic oxyethylated methyl dodecanoate. The highest filtration rates are obtained for hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and alkyl polyglucoside micellar solutions. The best separations, both of phenol and 4-nitrophenol (almost 100% rejection), are obtained for CTAB micellar solutions at the pH range from 3 to 11. Nonionic surfactants are not effective enough for the separation of phenol and 4-nitrophenol. SDS solutions permit only the separation of phenol. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

[Preliminary clinical evaluation of systemic chemotherapy of invasive cancer of the bladder by the CMV protocol]. / Wstepna kliniczna ocena chemioterapii ukladowej, wg schematu CMV, w naciekajacym raku pecherza moczowego.

The authors discuss the results of preliminary clinical trials with chemotherapy with CMV (cisplatin, methotrexate, vinblastine) in the group of 17 patients with the infiltrating cancer of the bladder. Chemotherapy was used as an element of the radical treatment (in 7 patients, i.e. 41.2%) or as ++palliative treatment (in 10 patients, i.e. 58.8%). Objective response to the treatment was noted in 73.3% of the treated patients, including 13.3% of the complete recovery, and 60.0% of partial improvement. In the remaining 26.7% of patients (including all patients with distant metastases) no response to therapy was achieved. Complications of therapy are discussed. Systemic chemotherapy with CMV regimen proved efficient in the infiltrating cancer of the bladder.

Permeation of 6-nitro-3-phenylacetamide benzoic acid (NIPAB) and hydrolysis by penicillin acylase immobilized in emulsion liquid membranes.

The effects of various commercial and model surfactants of different structure and hydrophilicity were studied on water-in-oil (w/o) emulsion stability, potassium cation leakage and permeation of 6-nitro-3-phenylacetamide benzoic acid in a model system using Penicillin acylase (EC 3.5.1.11) immobilized in a liquid membrane. Both emulsion stability, potassium leakage and permeation of organic substances depend upon hydrophilicity of surfactants. Hydrophilic surfactants may be used to stabilize emulsions only in mixtures with hydrophobic emulsifiers. Additions of small quantities of hydrophilic surfactants to the system in which permeation occurs together within an enzymatic process may be advantageous. Both the rate of permeation and potassium transfer significantly increase when hydrophilic surfactants are present. There was no relationship observed between potassium cation transfer from the internal phase and emulsion stability in the storage test.

[Effect of chemical composition of powder and mercury content on the development of phase gamma-2 in amalgam structure]. / Wplyw skladu chemicznego proszku i zawartosci rteci na powstawanie fazy gamma-2 w strukturze amalgamatów.

The purpose of the reported model study was determination of the effect of the content of mercury differentiated with respect to the preparation procedure and application of amalgam technique (condensation) in the tissue defect on the chemical composition (phasic) of this type of filling using three various materials: Stabil-B, Amalcap-Non-Gamma and Amalcap. Stabil-B had a generally higher content of mercury, and a lower content of this metal was found in Amalcap and Amalcap-Non-Gamma 2. The lowest amount of phase gamma 2 was found in Amalcap-Non-Gamma-2 and the lowest in Stabil-B.

Solubility and polarity parameters of polyoxyethylene glycol dialkyl ethers.

Solubility parameters were estimated for model individual polyoxyethylene glycol dialkyl ethers and correlated with polarity parameters determined by gas chromatography. The effects of the length of the polyoxyethylene chain and of the terminal alkyl groups on the values of the parameters investigated and on the obtained relationships are discussed. It was found that polarity parameters can be estimated from the total solubility parameter with relatively low errors (approximately 1% for the retention index of ethanol and methanol and for the polarity index of ethanol). The polarity index of methanol and the relative retention of alcohols can be estimated with errors of approximately 3-4%. Using the total solubility parameter, polyoxyethylene glycol dialkyl ethers can be arranged in the same order of increasing polarity as in the case of polarity parameters determined by gas chromatography.

[Interdependence between hormonal disorders, staging and degree of malignancy of prostatic gland cancer. 2]. / L'interdépendance entre les troubles hormonaux, le stade d'évolution et le degré de malignité du cancer de la glande prostatique. Deuxième partie.

The aim of this study was to estimate the relations between oestrogen, progesterone, prolactin (PRL) and gonadotrophin levels and the degree of advancement as well as that of malignancy of carcinoma of the prostate. Serum LH and FSH levels were determined under baseline conditions and after stimulation with LH-RH. In patients with metastases and in less differentiated forms of carcinoma the level of oestradiol (E2) was significantly higher. The testosterone/oestradiol ratio was notably lower in patients without metastases and in more differentiated forms. Serum progesterone was significantly higher in less differentiated forms of carcinoma. The concentration of LH in response to the administration of LH-RH was significantly higher in patients with metastases. Measurement of hormone levels at certain stages in the course of carcinoma of the prostate may be of practical value in the choice of appropriate hormone treatment.

[Increased secretion of prolactin after inhibition of dopaminergic receptors by metoclopramide in patients with cancer of the prostate]. / L'accroissement de la sécrétion de la prolactine après le freinage des récepteurs dopaminoergiques par le métoclopramide chez les malades porteurs d'un cancer de la prostate.

The authors begin by stressing the importance of the role of prolactin in the metabolism of testosterone in the cells of the prostate. They studied three groups of patients: 9 patients with prostatic cancer, 15 patients with benign prostatic adenoma and 11 healthy young men. Inhibition of the dopaminergic receptors by metoclopramide only resulted in a significant increase in serum prolactin in the patients with prostatic cancer, while the serum prolactin level remained unchanged in the young men and in the patients with prostatic adenoma. The authors believe that this increased secretion of prolactin in patients with prostatic cancer is related to a decrease in the testosterone: oestradiol ratio. They suggest the use of bromocriptine in patients with prostatic cancer no longer responding to oestrogen therapy in the event of prolactin over-secretion. Some papers have reported the beneficial effect of bromocriptine on the general health of these patients.