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Background: Since May 2022, increasing numbers of monkeypox virus (MPXV) infections have been reported from across Europe and North America. Studies, mainly from Africa, have suggested a higher risk for severe MPXV cases in people living with HIV. Methods: This was a retrospective study of all confirmed MPXV infections observed in the participating centres since 19 May 2022. We conducted a chart review to evaluate clinical characteristics, comorbidities, and coinfections, including HIV, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Results: By 30 June 2022, a total of 546 MPXV infections were reported from 42 German centres. All patients were men who have sex with men (MSM), of whom 256 (46.9%) were living with HIV, mostly with a preserved immune system and with viral suppression. In total, 232 (42.5%) MSM were also taking HIV pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and 58 (10.6%) MSM had no known HIV infection or PrEP use. The median age was 39 years (range 20–67), and comorbidities were rare. However, 52.4% and 29.4% of all patients had been diagnosed with at least one STI within the last 6 months or within the last 4 weeks, respectively. The most frequent localizations of MPXV infection were genital (49.9%) and anal (47.9%), whereas fever (53.2%) and lymphadenopathy (42.6%) were the most frequent general symptoms. The hospitalization rate was low (4.0%), and no fatal course was observed. The clinical picture showed no apparent differences between MSM with or without HIV. Conclusions: In this preliminary cohort analysis from a current large outbreak among MSM in Germany, the clinical picture of MPXV infection did not differ between MSM with and without HIV infection. Severe courses were rare and hospitalization rates were low. However, most patients were relatively healthy, and only a few people living with HIV were viremic or severely immunosuppressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of phosphorus-containing flame retardants (FR) on rigid polyisocyanurate (PIR) foams is studied by systematic variation of the chemical structure of the FR, including non-NCO-reactive and NCO-reactive dibenzo[d,f][1,3,2]dioxaphosphepine 6-oxide (BPPO)- and 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO)-containing compounds, among them a number of compounds not reported so far. These PIR foams are compared with PIR foams without FR and with standard FRs with respect to foam properties, thermal decomposition, and fire behavior. Although BPPO and DOPO differ by just one oxygen atom, the impact on the FR properties is very significant: when the FR is a filler or a dangling (dead) end in the PIR polymer network, DOPO is more effective than BPPO. When the FR is a subunit of a diol and it is fully incorporated in the PIR network, BPPO delivers superior results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of robotic assisted surgery in the treatment of morbidly obese patients has enlarged the armamentarium for surgeons involved in bariatric surgery. This in particular is of great advantage not only in primary cases, but also in patients undergoing revisional procedures following preceding upper GI surgery. In the following, our experience with intraoperative conversions and complications in revisional robotic surgery using the Da Vinci robotic system will be reported and compared to primary robotic bypass surgery and the literature. In a 36-month period, a total of 157 minimally invasive bariatric procedures (48 robotic assisted, 109 laparoscopic) were performed. Out of 43 patients receiving a gastric bypass 32 (74%) were performed robotically. Out of these 20 (62.5%) had previous operations (RRBP): one hiatal mesh repair, one open Mason operation, eight gastric band, nine gastric sleeve, one sleeve with fundoplication. The Da Vinci Xi was used for all surgeries. 3/20 (15%) RRBP were converted to open laparotomy because of a huge left liver lobe (1), extreme adhesions (1) and short mesentery (1) (p = 0.631 vs 1/12 RBP). One out of these had to be reoperated for an insufficiency of the gastroenterostomy. 3/17 (23%) patients (RRBP) without conversion had complications: hemorrhage (1), insufficiency of biliodigestive anastomosis (1), insufficiency of gastroenterostomy (1). There was no mortality and length of hospital stay was 3.5 days in uncomplicated cases and 12.3 days in complicated cases (p < 0.05). This preliminary experience suggests, that robotic revisional surgery can be performed safely even in complicated cases. Conversion to laparoscopic or open surgery may be required when adverse anatomical conditions are present. However, the incidence of complications was not increased when conversion was performed. In this series, the incidence of complications was not greater in case of revisional surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of temperature-dependent size-exclusion chromatography (TD SEC) for in situ analyses of thermoreversibly bonded polymers is discussed. TD SEC allows the evolution of the polymer's molar mass distribution to be monitored during temperature-sensitive bonding and debonding reactions. Through quantitative evaluation of the chromatograms, the reaction-influencing parameters can be studied, which is crucial for the effective development of novel functional materials. By using TD SEC, the effect of polymer size and flexibility on the debonding temperatures of Diels-Alder (DA) polymers was confirmed, their debonding and bonding ability studied, and the de-crosslinking of thermoreversibly cross-linked DA polymers assessed. TD SEC offers a versatile platform for a broad variety of different polymer materials and to assess a variety of different analytical questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Various peracetic-acid (PAA)-based products for processing flexible endoscopes on the market are often based on a two-component system including a cleaning step before the addition of PAA as disinfectant. The peracetic acid concentrations in these formulations from different manufacturers are ranging from 400 to 1500 ppm (part per million). These products are used at temperatures between 20 °C and 37 °C. Since information on the virus-inactivating properties of peracetic acid at different concentrations and temperature is missing, it was the aim of the study to evaluate peracetic acid solutions against test viruses using the quantitative suspension test, EN 14476. In addition, further studies were performed with the recently established European pre norm (prEN 17111:2017) describing a carrier assay for simulating practical conditions using frosted glass. Methods: In the first step of examination, different PAA solutions between 400 and 1500 ppm were tested at 20 °C, 25 °C, and 35 °C with three test viruses (adenovirus, murine norovirus and poliovirus) necessary for creating a virucidal action according to the European Norm, EN 14476. A second step for simulating practical conditions based on prEN 17111:2017 followed by spreading a test virus together with soil load onto a glass carrier which was immerged into a peracetic acid solution. A fixed exposure time of five minutes was used in all experiments. Results: In the quantitative suspension test 1500 ppm PAA solution was needed at 35 °C for five minutes for the inactivation of poliovirus, whereas only 400 ppm at 20 °C for adeno- and murine norovirus were necessary. In the carrier assay 400 ppm peracetic acid at 20 °C were sufficient for adenovirus inactivation, whereas 600 ppm PAA were needed at 25 °C and 35 °C and 1000 ppm at 20 °C for murine norovirus. A PAA solution with 1000 ppm at 35 °C was required for complete inactivation of poliovirus. However, a dramatically decrease of titer after the drying and immerging could be observed. In consequence, a four log reduction of poliovirus titer could not be achieved in the carrier test. Conclusion: In summary, 1500 ppm PAA at 35 °C was necessary for a virucidal action in the quantitative suspension test. After passing the requirements of the suspension test, additional examinations with adeno- and murine norovirus on glass carriers based on prEN 17111:2017 will not additionally contribute to the final claim of an instrument disinfectant for virucidal efficacy. This is due to the great stability of poliovirus in the preceded quantitative suspension test and the fact that poliovirus could not serve as test virus in the following carrier assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A series of α-keto-β-diimine nickel complexes (Ar-N = C(CH3)-C(O)-C(CH3)=N-Ar)NiBr2; Ar = 2,6-R-C6H3-, R = Me, Et, iPr, and Ar = 2,4,6-Me3-C6H3-) was prepared. All corresponding ligands are unstable even under an inert atmosphere and in a freezer. Stable copper complex intermediates of ligand synthesis and ethyl substituted nickel complex were isolated and characterized by X-ray. All nickel complexes were used for the polymerization of ethene, propylene, and hex-1-ene to investigate their livingness and the extent of chain-walking. Low-temperature propene polymerization with less bulky ortho-substituents was less isospecific than the one with isopropyl derivative. Propene stereoblock copolymers were prepared by iPr derivative combining the polymerization at low temperature to prepare isotactic polypropylene (PP) block and at a higher temperature, supporting chain-walking, to obtain amorphous regioirregular PP block. Alternatively, a copolymerization of propene with ethene was used for the preparation of amorphous block. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 2440-2449 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We performed an in-depth study of high molecular weight poly[3,6-(dithiophene-2-yl)-2,5-di(2-octyldodecyl)-pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-dione-alt-thieno[3,2-b]thiophene] P(DPP2OD-TT) synthesized through the Stille coupling polycondensation in order to understand the correlation between molecular weight, processing conditions and charge transport. We observed a rapid increase in its aggregation in solution with increasing molecular weight which strongly limits the solubility and processability for weight average molecular weights beyond 200 kg mol−1. This results in severe limitation in the charge transport properties of the polymer. We further observe the presence of bulk electronic defects in all different polymer batches that severely limit the current flow and manifest themselves in organic field effect transistors as apparent charge density dependence of the mobility. These defects are passivated by exposure to an ambient atmosphere, as confirmed by an increase in current and mobility that is no more charge density dependent. This is further confirmed by the result of chemical doping using 2,2-(perfluoronaphthalene-2,6-diylidene)dimalononitrile, F6TCNNQ, which leads to the filling of the trap states and a higher charge density independent mobility of up to 1 cm2 V−1 s−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of postprandial hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia following gastric bypass surgery for obesity can be challenging despite dietetic and medical treatment and eventually surgical treatment remains the exclusive treatment to resolve the problem for the patient. In the following, the experience with a conversion surgery from a complicated Roux-en-Y gastric bypass to sleeve gastrectomy using the Da Vinci robotic system will be reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the soft x-ray (SXR) and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectral region, optical elements are mainly based on diffractive structures. We report on experiments showing the fabrication of such elements using ion beam lithography. This allows single-step milling of freestanding transmission as well as reflection gratings. Minimum structure sizes of 70 nm were achieved. The optical elements were tested in slit grating spectrographs at an ethanol-jet laser-induced plasma source. Relative spectral resolutions of λ/Δλ≈100 were observed in the SXR- and EUV-region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of new flame retardants (FR) based on dibenzo[d,f][1,3,2]dioxaphosphepine 6-oxide (BPPO) incorporating acrylates and benzoquinone were developed previously. In this study, we examine the fire behavior of the new flame retardants in polyisocyanurate (PIR) foams. The foam characteristics, thermal decomposition, and fire behavior are investigated. The fire properties of the foams containing BPPO-based derivatives were found to depend on the chemical structure of the substituents. We also compare our results to state-of-the-art non-halogenated FR such as triphenylphosphate and chemically similar phosphinate, i.e. 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10- phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO), based derivatives to discuss the role of the phosphorus oxidation state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]