Aggregation of dialkyl-substituted diphosphonic acids and its effect on metal ion extraction.

Solvent extraction reagents containing the diphosphonic acid group exhibit an extraordinary affinity for tri-, tetra- and hexavalent actinides. Their use has been considered for actinide separation and pre-concentration procedures. Solvent extraction data obtained with P,P{prime}-di(2-ethylhexyl) methane-, ethane- and butanediphosphonic acids exhibit features that are difficult to explain without Knowledge of the aggregation state of the extractants. Information about the aggregation of the dialkyl-substituted diphosphonic acids in aromatic diluents has been obtained using the complementary techniques of vapor pressure osmometry (VPO), small angle neutron scattering (SANS), infrared spectroscopy and molecular mechanics. The results from these techniques provide an understanding of the aggregation behavior of these extractants that is fully compatible with the solvent extraction data. The most important results and their relevance to solvent extraction are reviewed in this paper

Supercritical carbon dioxide-soluble ligands for extracting actinide metal ions from porous solids (EMSP Project Number 64965)

The objective of this project is to develop novel, substituted diphosphonic acid ligands that can be used for supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (SCDE) of actinide ions from solid wastes. Specifically, selected diphosphonic acids, which are known to form extremely stable complexes with actinides in aqueous and organic solution, are to be rendered carbon dioxide-soluble by the introduction of appropriate alkyl- or silicon-containing substituents. The metal complexation chemistry of these new ligands in SC-CO{sub 2} will then be investigated and techniques for their use in actinide extraction from porous solids developed. This report summarizes the work performed during the first 1.3 years of a 3-year program. Because the planned studies of metal complexation and the development of techniques for actinide removal from solids are dependent on the availability of suitable ligands, efforts to date have focused primarily on the synthesis of selected alkyl- or silicon-containing diphosphonic acids. The authors' principal targets have been derivatives in which the silicon-containing groups either serve as the ester function or are attached to the anchor carbon of the diphosphonic acid. Because methylenediphosphonic acid (MDPA) is commercially available and because its esterification with simple alcohols to yield symmetrical diesters is well-established, their initial studies have focused on this ligand and its reactions with silyl alcohols. Success has been achieved in the reaction of MDPA and its ethylene, propylene, and butylene analogs with 3-(trimethylsilyl)-1-propanol. Using a procedure similar to that previously employed for the synthesis of C-8 dialkylmethylenediphosphonic acids, this series of alkylenediphosphonic acids has been esterified in good yield (ca. 60%) to the symmetrically-substituted diesters. Vapor phase osmometric and cryoscopic studies of these compounds in toluene and 1-decanol, respectively, indicate that their aggregation properties closely parallel those of the dialkyl-substituted alkylenediphosphonic acids, specifically, the P,P{prime}-bis(2-ethylhexyl)alkylenediphosphonic acids, H{sub 2}DEH[ADP]. Infrared spectroscopy and molecular mechanics methods have been employed to obtain information about the structures of the dimers of P,P{prime}-di-[3-(trimethylsilyl)-1-propylene]methylenediphosphonic acid, H{sub 2}TMSP[MDP], and its propylene analog. Infrared spectroscopy has also been employed to provide qualitative information on the binding of various metal ions by H{sub 2}TMSP[MDP]. The metal complexation properties of this ligand have been found to be similar to those of di-(2-ethylhexyl)methylenediphosphonic acid, examined previously. Studies of the extraction of various cations (e.g., Fe(III), Th(IV), Am(III)) by H{sub 2}TMSP[MDP] and its ethylene analog in conventional organic diluents (e.g., o-xylene) indicate that the extraction behavior of the silyl-derivatized diphosphonic acids closely mimics that of conventional alkylenediphosphonic acids. Thus, derivatization has no adverse impact on the complexation or extraction properties of the diphosphonic acids

The expression of 16 genes related to the cell of origin and immune response predicts survival in elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with CHOP and rituximab.

International audienceGene expression profiles have been associated with clinical outcome in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) treated with anthracycline-containing chemotherapy. Using Affymetrix HU133A microarrays, we analyzed the lymphoma transcriptional profile of 30 patients treated with CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) and 23 patients treated with rituximab (R)-CHOP in the Groupe d'Etude des Lymphomes de l'Adulte clinical centers. We used this data set to select transcripts showing an association with progression-free survival in all patients or showing a differential effect in the two treatment groups. We performed real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR in the 23 R-CHOP samples of the screening set and an additional 44 R-CHOP samples set to evaluate the prognostic significance of these transcripts. In these 67 patients, the level of expression of 16 genes and the cell-of-origin classification were significantly associated with overall survival, independently of the International Prognostic Index. A multivariate model comprising four genes of the cell-of-origin signature (LMO2, MME, LPP and FOXP1) and two genes related to immune response, identified for their differential effects in R-CHOP patients (APOBEC3G and RAB33A), demonstrated a high predictive efficiency in this set of patients, suggesting that both features affect outcome in DLBCL patients receiving immunochemotherapy

The 'thousand-dollar genome': an ethical exploration

Sequencing an individual's complete genome is expected to be possible for a relatively low sum ‘one thousand dollars' within a few years. Sequencing refers to determining the order of base pairs that make up the genome. The result is a library of three billion letter combinations. Cheap whole-genome sequencing is of greatest importance to medical scientific research. Comparing individual complete genomes will lead to a better understanding of the contribution genetic variation makes to health and disease. As knowledge increases, the ‘thousand-dollar genome' will also become increasingly important to healthcare. The applications that come within reach raise a number of ethical questions. This monitoring report addresses the issue