Impact of residence time distributions in reacting magnesium packed-beds on Grignard reagent formation – Pump-induced flow behaviour in non-reacting magnesium beds (part 1)

Grignard reagent formation in continuously operated magnesium packed-bed reactors can be influenced by finetuning the residence time distribution within the magnesium packing. By decreasing the magnesium turning size and increasing the packing density, more narrow residence time distributions and therefore improved Bodenstein numbers can be obtained. The utilized pump system and its induced flow behaviour also havean impact on the residence time distributions in packed-bed reactors. By using oscillatory flow rates instead of pulsation-free pumps, Bodenstein numbers within a magnesium filled reactor cartridge can be increased by 25 % for fine magnesium turnings and by 70 % for coarse magnesium turnings, resulting in minimized backmixing and approaching plug flow behaviour

Impact of residence time distributions in reacting magnesium packed-beds on Grignard reagent formation – Selectivity of Grignard reagent formation (part 2)

Grignard reagents are used as intermediates in the production of complex molecules, since they can be used to form new carbon-carbon bonds, e.g. in the formation of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Byproduct formation like Wurtz coupling diminishes the selectivity in Grignard reagent formation and therefore byproduct formation needs to be reduced. It was found that the different pumping behaviours of a syringe pump, a valveless rotary piston pump and a micro annular gear pump and the obtained residence time distributions have an impact on the selectivity of the Grignard reagent formation. Selectivity can also be enhanced by the available magnesium surface and by choosing a tubular flow reactor instead of a batch reactor, showing the importance of choosing the right equipment and parameters for the specific reaction system

Selectivity of Grignard reagent formation – from semi-batch to continuous lab and pilot scale

The formation of Grignard reagents from metallic magnesium and a halide is often accompanied by the formation of the Wurtz coupling product, an undesired side product formed by the reaction of a Grignard reagent molecule and a halide molecule. By using a scale-up approach from semi-batch type synthesis to continuous lab and pilot scale for various Grignard reagents, it is demonstrated that a continuous production process can improve Grignard reagent selectivity and reduce Wurtz coupling

Patient involvement in decisions to limit treatment: the crucial role of agreement between physician and patient

The aim of this study was to describe, first, the decision-making process concerning the limitation of life-prolonging treatment (DLT); second, the extent to which patients are actually involved in these decisions; and third, to detect medical and ethical factors that affect patient involvement. This prospective qualitative study enrolled 76 patients with incurable cancer with whom the limitation of life-prolonging treatment was discussed. Embedded researchers on the wards recorded the patient's history, medical condition, type of treatment limitation discussed, patient wishes, decision-making capacity, and patient involvement using an in-depth documentation procedure. While the majority of patients were informed about their diagnosis, therapy, and course of disease (99%, 97%, 90%, respectively), only 47% were involved in DLT. Two thirds of the patients preferred palliative care, and one third wished to extend their lifetime. If patients preferred palliative care, they were more often in line with physicians' treatment goals than patients who were striving for longer survival (91.4% v 46.7%; P = .001). They also were involved significantly more often in DLT. Multivariate analysis showed that age, Karnofsky performance index or decision-making capacity had no impact on patient involvement. Only half of the patients were involved in DLT. Surprisingly, the main predictor of patient involvement was not their medical condition, but agreement with physicians' palliative treatment goals. These results show that if physicians switch to comfort care in terminally ill patients and patients are not yet prepared to follow this line, treatment limitations are often decided without involving the patient

The First Careers Fair Specifically for Chemists in Switzerland

Here we report on the first careers fair for chemists in Switzerland, contactchemists.ch. This event was organized by the Swiss Young Chemists' Committee Basel under the auspices of the SCS. Twelve companies accepted our invitation to take part and present their activities in both poster booths and oral presentations. This was complemented by a workshop that aided applicants in forming a suitable job-finding strategy. An informal exchange of information was possible and made contactchemists.ch a success not only for the participating companies but also for the numerous visitors. Synopses of the oral company presentations are included in this report

Biobanking: Objectives, Requirements, and Future Challenges—Experiences from the Munich Vascular Biobank

Collecting biological tissue samples in a biobank grants a unique opportunity to validate diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for translational and clinical research. In the present work, we provide our long-standing experience in establishing and maintaining a biobank of vascular tissue samples, including the evaluation of tissue quality, especially in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens (FFPE). Our Munich Vascular Biobank includes, thus far, vascular biomaterial from patients with high-grade carotid artery stenosis (n = 1567), peripheral arterial disease (n = 703), and abdominal aortic aneurysm (n = 481) from our Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery (January 2004⁻December 2018). Vascular tissue samples are continuously processed and characterized to assess tissue morphology, histological quality, cellular composition, inflammation, calcification, neovascularization, and the content of elastin and collagen fibers. Atherosclerotic plaques are further classified in accordance with the American Heart Association (AHA), and plaque stability is determined. In order to assess the quality of RNA from FFPE tissue samples over time (2009⁻2018), RNA integrity number (RIN) and the extent of RNA fragmentation were evaluated. Expression analysis was performed with two housekeeping genes—glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and beta-actin (ACTB)—using TaqMan-based quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT)-PCR. FFPE biospecimens demonstrated unaltered RNA stability over time for up to 10 years. Furthermore, we provide a protocol for processing tissue samples in our Munich Vascular Biobank. In this work, we demonstrate that biobanking is an important tool not only for scientific research but also for clinical usage and personalized medicine