Pressure induced phase transformation of Ba8Ga16Ge30 clathrate studied by x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy

The phase transition and the vibrational properties of Ba8Ga16Ge30 have been investigated at high pressures up to 40 GPa at room temperature. The combined study of the high-pressure Raman and synchrotron powder x-ray diffraction (XRD) experiments revealed the occurrence of a first-order phase transition at 33 GPa, on which a volume decrease of about 3% was found. Rietveld refinements of the XRD data demonstrated the atomic displacements precursory to the phase transition, allowing us to discuss the mechanism of the phase transition. In the Raman experimental data, anomalies were observed in the spectral feature and the guest vibration around 17 GPa. By combining the Raman results with the XRD ones, the vibrational frequency of the guest Ba was investigated as a function of the host cage size. As a result, a linear relation between guest vibrational frequency and the guest-host distance was identified

Asymptomatic primary tuberculous pleurisy with intense 18-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake mimicking malignant mesothelioma

Abstract Background The pathogenesis of primary tuberculous pleurisy is a delayed-type hypersensitivity immunogenic reaction to a few mycobacterial antigens entering the pleural space rather than direct tissue destruction by mycobacterial proliferation. Although it has been shown that pulmonary tuberculosis induces 18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in active lesions, little is known about the application of FDG positron emission/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) to the management of primary tuberculous pleurisy. Case presentation We report a case of asymptomatic primary tuberculous pleurisy presenting with diffuse nodular pleural thickening without distinct pleural effusion and parenchymal lung lesions mimicking malignant mesothelioma. An initial FDG PET/CT scan demonstrated multiple lesions of intense FDG uptake in the right pleura and thoracoscopic biopsy of pleural tissue revealed caseous granulomatous inflammation. The patient received antituberculous therapy for 6 months, with clearly decreased positive signals on a repeated FDG PET/CT scan. Conclusion FDG PET/CT imaging may be useful for evaluating disease activity in tuberculous pleurisy patients with an unknown time of onset.</p