Extraction of emerging contaminants from environmental waters and urine by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction with solidification of the floating organic droplet using fenchol:acetic acid deep eutectic mixtures

In this work, several eutectic mixtures formed by fenchol and acetic acid at seven molar ratios (between 4:1 and 1:4) were characterized and studied for the first time for their possible application as extraction solvents in dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on the solidification of the floating organic droplet (DLLME-SFO). A group of 13 emerging contaminants (gemfibrozil, bisphenol F, bisphenol A, 17β-estradiol, testosterone, estrone, levonorgestrel, 4-tert-octylphenol, butyl benzyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, 4-octylphenol, 4-nonylphenol, and dihexyl phthalate) was selected and determined by liquid chromatography with ultraviolet and tandem mass spectrometry detection. Among the studied mixtures, only those of 2:1 and 1:1 provided the suitable features from an operational and repeatability point of view, suggesting that several eutectic mixtures of the same components may also provide similar results. Once the extraction conditions of both mixtures were optimized, the method was applied to the extraction of sea water, urine, and wastewater at different concentration levels, allowing the achievement of absolute recovery values between 49 and 100% for most analytes with relative standard deviation values below 19%. In addition, several samples of each type were analyzed, finding bisphenol A and gemfibrozil in some of them. The greenness of the method was also evaluated using the AGREEprep metric. The DLLME-SFO procedure was found to be very simple, quick, and effective and with a good sample throughput

Measurement of radon-induced backgrounds in the NEXT double beta decay experiment

The measurement of the internal $^{222}$Rn activity in the NEXT-White detector during the so-called Run-II period with $^{136}$Xe-depleted xenon is discussed in detail, together with its implications for double beta decay searches in NEXT. The activity is measured through the alpha production rate induced in the fiducial volume by $^{222}$Rn and its alpha-emitting progeny. The specific activity is measured to be $(38.1\pm 2.2~\mathrm{(stat.)}\pm 5.9~\mathrm{(syst.)})$~mBq/m$^3$. Radon-induced electrons have also been characterized from the decay of the $^{214}$Bi daughter ions plating out on the cathode of the time projection chamber. From our studies, we conclude that radon-induced backgrounds are sufficiently low to enable a successful NEXT-100 physics program, as the projected rate contribution should not exceed 0.1~counts/yr in the neutrinoless double beta decay sample.Comment: 28 pages, 10 figures, 6 tables. Version accepted for publication in JHE

Effects of accelerated versus standard care surgery on the risk of acute kidney injury in patients with a hip fracture : a substudy protocol of the hip fracture Accelerated surgical TreaTment And Care tracK (HIP ATTACK) international randomised controlled trial

Introduction Inflammation, dehydration, hypotension and bleeding may all contribute to the development of acute kidney injury (AKI). Accelerated surgery after a hip fracture can decrease the exposure time to such contributors and may reduce the risk of AKI. Methods and analysis Hip fracture Accelerated surgical TreaTment And Care tracK (HIP ATTACK) is a multicentre, international, parallel-group randomised controlled trial (RCT). Patients who suffer a hip fracture are randomly allocated to either accelerated medical assessment and surgical repair with a goal of surgery within 6 hours of diagnosis or standard care where a repair typically occurs 24 to 48 hours after diagnosis. The primary outcome of this substudy is the development of AKI within 7 days of randomisation. We anticipate at least 1998 patients will participate in this substudy. Ethics and dissemination We obtained ethics approval for additional serum creatinine recordings in consecutive patients enrolled at 70 participating centres. All patients provide consent before randomisation. We anticipate reporting substudy results by 2021. Trial registration number NCT02027896; Pre-results

Effects of accelerated versus standard care surgery on the risk of acute kidney injury in patients with a hip fracture : A substudy protocol of the hip fracture Accelerated surgical TreaTment and Care tracK (HIP ATTACK) international randomised controlled trial

Introduction Inflammation, dehydration, hypotension and bleeding may all contribute to the development of acute kidney injury (AKI). Accelerated surgery after a hip fracture can decrease the exposure time to such contributors and may reduce the risk of AKI. Methods and analysis Hip fracture Accelerated surgical TreaTment And Care tracK (HIP ATTACK) is a multicentre, international, parallel-group randomised controlled trial (RCT). Patients who suffer a hip fracture are randomly allocated to either accelerated medical assessment and surgical repair with a goal of surgery within 6 hours of diagnosis or standard care where a repair typically occurs 24 to 48 hours after diagnosis. The primary outcome of this substudy is the development of AKI within 7 days of randomisation. We anticipate at least 1998 patients will participate in this substudy. Ethics and dissemination We obtained ethics approval for additional serum creatinine recordings in consecutive patients enrolled at 70 participating centres. All patients provide consent before randomisation. We anticipate reporting substudy results by 2021. Trial registration number NCT02027896; Pre-results

A Qualitative View of Drug Use Behaviors of Mexican Male Injection Drug Users Deported from the United States

Deportees are a hidden yet highly vulnerable and numerous population. Significantly, little data exists about the substance use and deportation experiences of Mexicans deported from the United States. This pilot qualitative study describes illicit drug use behaviors among 24 Mexico-born male injection drug users (IDUs), ≥18 years old, residing in Tijuana, Mexico who self-identified as deportees from the United States. In-person interviews were conducted in Tijuana, Mexico in 2008. Content analysis of interview transcripts identified major themes in participants’ experiences. Few participants had personal or family exposures to illicit drugs prior to their first U.S. migration. Participants reported numerous deportations. Social (i.e., friends/family, post-migration stressors) and environmental factors (e.g., drug availability) were perceived to contribute to substance use initiation in the U.S. Drugs consumed in the United States included marijuana, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and crack. More than half of men were IDUs prior to deportation. Addiction and justice system experiences reportedly contributed to deportation. After deportation, several men injected new drugs, primarily heroin or methamphetamine, or a combination of both drugs. Many men perceived an increase in their substance use after deportation and reported shame and loss of familial social and economic support. Early intervention is needed to stem illicit drug use in Mexican migrant youths. Binational cooperation around migrant health issues is warranted. Migrant-oriented programs may expand components that address mental health and drug use behaviors in an effort to reduce transmission of blood-borne infections. Special considerations are merited for substance users in correctional systems in the United States and Mexico, as well as substance users in United States immigration detention centers. The health status and health behaviors of deportees are likely to impact receiving Mexican communities. Programs that address health, social, and economic issues may aid deportees in resettling in Mexico

Key comparison CCQM-K73 amount content of H+ in hydrochloric acid (0.1 mol·kg-1)

This key comparison (KC), CCQM-K73, was performed to demonstrate the capability of the participating National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) to measure the amount content of H+ , νH + , in an HCl solution with a nominal νH + of 0.1 mol·kg-1 . A parallel Pilot Study, CCQM-P19.2, was performed for NMIs that did not desire to participate in the KC. The comparison was a joint activity of the Electrochemical Working Group (EAWG) and Inorganic Analysis Working Group (IAWG) of the CCQM and was coordinated by NIST (USA) and CENAM (México). The method of determination of νH + was left to the individual participant. All participants used either coulometry or titrimetry with potentiometric determination of the endpoint. The agreement of the results was not commensurate with the claimed uncertainties of the subset of participants that claimed small uncertainties for this determination. A workshop on technical issues relating to the CCQM-K73 measurements was conducted at the joint IAWGEAWG meeting at the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM), Paris (Sèvres) in April 2010. Several possible sources of bias were investigated, but none could explain the observed dispersion among the participants’ results. In the absence of a specific cause for the dispersion, the IAWG and EAWG decided to assign a Key Comparison Reference Value, KCRV, and standard uncertainty of the KCRV, uKCRV, based on the DerSimonian-Laird statistical estimator. The uKCRV is dominated by the between-laboratory scatter of results in CCQM-K73. The uncertainty estimates from the participants with the lowest reported uncertainties remain unsupported by this KC.Fil: Pratt, Kenneth W. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); Estados UnidosFil: Ortiz-Aparicio, Jose Luis. Centro Nacional de Metrología (CENAM); MéxicoFil: Matehuala-Sanchez, Francisco Javier. Centro Nacional de Metrología (CENAM); MéxicoFil: Jakobsen, Pia Tønnes. Dansk Fundamental Metrology (DFM); DinamarcaFil: Pawlina, Monika. Główny Urząd Miar (GUM); PoloniaFil: Kozłowski, Władysław. Główny Urząd Miar (GUM); PoloniaFil: Borges, Paulo P. Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Qualidade e Tecnologia (INMetro); BrasilFil: da Silva Junior, Wiler B. Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Qualidade e Tecnologia (INMetro); BrasilFil: Borinsky, Mónica B. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial (INTI); ArgentinaFil: Hernandez, Ana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial (INTI); ArgentinaFil: Puelles, Mabel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial (INTI); ArgentinaFil: Hatamleh, Nadia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial (INTI); ArgentinaFil: Acosta, Osvaldo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial (INTI); ArgentinaFil: Nunes, João. Instituto Português da Qualidade (IPQ); PortugalFil: Guiomar Lito, M. J. Instituto Português da Qualidade (IPQ); PortugalFil: Camões, M. Filomena. Instituto Português da Qualidade (IPQ); PortugalFil: Filipe, Eduarda. Instituto Português da Qualidade (IPQ); PortugalFil: Hwang, Euijin. Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS); Corea del SurFil: Lim, Youngran. Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS); Corea del SurFil: Bing, Wu. National Institute of Metrology (NIM); ChinaFil: Qian, Wang. National Institute of Metrology (NIM); ChinaFil: Chao, Wei. National Institute of Metrology (NIM); ChinaFil: Hioki, Akiharu. National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ); JapónFil: Asakai, Toshiaki. National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ); JapónFil: Máriássy, Michal. Slovenský Metrologický Ústav (SMU); EslovaquiaFil: Hanková, Zuzana. Slovenský Metrologický Ústav (SMU); EslovaquiaFil: Nagibin, Sergey. Ukrainian State Research and Production Center of Standardization Metrology, Certification, and Consumers’ Rights Protection (UMTS); UcraniaFil: Manska, Olexandra. Ukrainian State Research and Production Center of Standardization Metrology, Certification, and Consumers’ Rights Protection (UMTS); UcraniaFil: Gavrilkin, Vladimir. Ukrainian State Research and Production Center of Standardization Metrology, Certification, and Consumers’ Rights Protection (UMTS); UcraniaFil: Kutovoy, Viatcheslav. All-Russian Scientific Institute for Physical-Technical and Radiological Measurements (VNIIFTRI); Rusi