On the mechanisms governing gas penetration into a tokamak plasma during a massive gas injection

A new 1D radial fluid code, IMAGINE, is used to simulate the penetration of gas into a tokamak plasma during a massive gas injection (MGI). The main result is that the gas is in general strongly braked as it reaches the plasma, due to mechanisms related to charge exchange and (to a smaller extent) recombination. As a result, only a fraction of the gas penetrates into the plasma. Also, a shock wave is created in the gas which propagates away from the plasma, braking and compressing the incoming gas. Simulation results are quantitatively consistent, at least in terms of orders of magnitude, with experimental data for a D 2 MGI into a JET Ohmic plasma. Simulations of MGI into the background plasma surrounding a runaway electron beam show that if the background electron density is too high, the gas may not penetrate, suggesting a possible explanation for the recent results of Reux et al in JET (2015 Nucl. Fusion 55 093013)

Mapping The Polymorphic Forms Of Fexofenadinein Pharmaceutical Tablets Usingnear Infrared Chemical Imaging

This study presents a comparison of partial least squares (PLS) and multivariate curve resolution (MCR-ALS) in the quantification of polymorphic forms I and II of fexofenadine.HCl in pharmaceutical tablets using near infrared chemical imaging (NIR-CI). The PLS model built using a standard normal variate (SNV) pre-processing method resulted in satisfactory fits between the reference and predicted values, with a root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) for both polymorphic forms below 1.5% (w/w). The MCR-ALS results were obtained using an augmented matrix and SNV pre-processing method. The lack of fit value for decomposition was 0.13%, the correlation coefficient between the pure spectra and the obtained spectral profiles was 99.94% and the RMSEP was below 6% (w/w). The MCR-ALS model efficiently quantified the polymorphic forms and generated distribution maps; however, the PLS model exhibited better recovery of the concentrations.223211220Radhakrishna, T., Reddy, G.O., Simultaneous determination of fexofenadine and its related compounds by HPLC (2002) J. Pharm. Biomed. Anal, 29, p. 681. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0731-7085(02)00181-4Axelrod, D., Bielory, L., Fexofenadine hydrochloride in the treatment of allergic disease: A review (2008) J. Asthma Allergy, 1, p. 19. , http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/JAA.S3092Kor, I., Wizel, S., (2005) Crystalline forms of fexofenadine hydrochloride and processes for their preparationMartins, F.T., Bonfilio, R., Rosa, I.M.L., Santos, L.M., Santos, O.M.M., Araujo, M.B., Doriguetto, A., The form II of the antihypertensive drug chlorthalidone (2013) CrystEngComm, 15, p. 3767. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c3ce40303cCroker, D.M., Hennigan, M.C., Mahrer, A., Hu, Y., Ryder, A.G., Hodnett, B.K., A comparative study of the use of powder X-ray diffraction, Raman and near infrared spectroscopy for quantification of binary polymorphic mixture of piracetam (2012) J. Pharm. Biom. Anal, 63, p. 80. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpba.2012.01.013Rocha W F, D.C., Sabin, G.P., Marco, P.H., Poppi, R.J., Quantitative analysis of piroxicam polymorphs pharmaceutical mixtures by hyperspectral imaging and chemometrics (2011) Chemometr. Intell. Lab. Syst, 106, p. 2. , http://10.1016/j.chemolab.2010.04.015Macfhionnghaile, P., Hu, Y., McArdle, P., Erxleben, A., A comprehensive near infrared spectroscopic study of the limits of quantitative analysis of sulfathiazole polymorphism (2013) J. Near Infrared Spec, 21, p. 55. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1255/jnirs.1036Widjaja, E., Kanaujia, P., Lau, G., Ng, W.K., Garland, M., Saal, C., Hanefeld, A., Tan, R.B.H., Detection of trace crystallinity in an amorphous system using Raman microscopy and chemometric analysis (2011) Eur. J. Pharm. Sci, 42, p. 45. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejps.2010.10.004Pisklak, M.Z., Pisklak, D.M., Wawer, I., Application of 13C CPMAS NMR for qualitative and quantitative characterizationof carvedilol and its commercial formulations (2012) J. Pharm. Sci, 101, p. 1763. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jps.23062Riekes, M.K., Pereira, R.N., Rauber, G.S., Cuffini, S.L., Campos, C.E.M., Silva, M.A.S., Stulzer, H.K., Polymorphism in nimodipine raw materials: Development and validation of a quantitative method through differential scanning calorimetry (2012) J. Pharm. Biom. Anal, 70, p. 188. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpba.2012.06.029Daniel, J.S.P., Veronez, I.P., Rodrigues, L.L., Trevisan, M.G., Garcia, J.S., Risperidone-Solid-state characterization and pharmaceutical compatibility using thermaland non-thermal techniques (2013) Thermochim. Acta, 568, p. 148. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tca.2013.06.032Reich, G., Near-infrared spectroscopy and imaging: Basic principles and pharmaceutical applications (2005) Adv. Drug Deliver. Rev, 57, p. 8. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addr.2005.01.020Bautista, M., Cruz, J., Blanco, M., Study of component distribution in pharmaceutical binary powder mixtures by near infrared chemical imaging (2012) J. Spectral. Imag, 3, p. 2. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1255/jsi.2012.a2Jaumot, J., Gargallo, R., De Juan, A., Tauler, R., A graphical user-friendly interface for MCR-ALS: A new tool for multivariate curve resolution in MATLAB (2005) Chemometr. Intell. Lab. Syst, 76, p. 1. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemolab.2004.12.007De Juan, A., Tauler, R., Multivariate curve resolution (mcr) from 2000: Progress in concepts and applications (2006) Crit. Rev. Anal. Chem, 36, pp. 3-4. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10408340600970005Piqueras, S., Burger, J., Tauler, R., De Juan, A., Relevant aspects of quantification and sample heterogeneity in hyperspectral image resolution (2012) Chemometr. Intell. Lab. Syst, 117, p. 169. , http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemolab.2011.12.004Henton, D.R., McCarty, F.J., Tripp, S.I., Dewitt, J.E., (1995) Processes for preparing anhydrous and hydrate forms of antihistaminic piperidine derivatives, polymorphs and pseudomorphs thereofPatel, A.D., Luner, P.E., Kemper, M.S., Quantitative analysis of polymorphs in binary and multi-component powder mixtures by near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (2000) Int. J. Pharm, 206 (1-2), p. 63Wise, B.M., Gallagher, N.B., Bro, R., Shaver, J.M., Windig, W., Koch, R.S., (2006) Chemometrics Tutorial for PLS-Toolbox and Solo, , Eigenvector Research, Wenatchee, US

Selecting an outcome measure for evaluating treatment in fecal incontinence

PURPOSE: Various outcome measures exist to evaluate treatment in fecal incontinence, including descriptive, severity (fecal incontinence scoring systems), and impact (quality-of-life questionnaires) and diagnostic measures. We studied associations between changes after treatment for a number of outcome measures and compared them to patients' subjective perception of relief. METHODS: We analyzed data of 66 patients (92 percent female; mean age, 62 years) (Vaizey score, Wexner score, two impact scales, utility, resting pressure, and maximal incremental squeeze pressure) at baseline and after physiotherapy. In a standardized interview by phone, we asked patients to compare their situation before and after treatment. Correlations between changes in outcome measures were calculated. These changes were compared with patients' subjective perception. RESULTS: There was a high correlation between the changes in the Vaizey and the Wexner scores (r = 0.94, P <0.01). Changes in Vaizey and Wexner scores correlated moderately with changes in maximum incremental squeeze pressure (r = -0.29, -0-30, both P <0.05). Changes in utility and resting pressure were not correlated with changes in any of the other measurements (all r values between -0.086 and 0. 18). Average severity scores (Vaizey and Wexner) were I point lower for patients who rated their situation as worse or equal (62 percent), 4 points lower for patients who reported their situation to be better (21 percent), and 9 points lower in patients who rated their situation much better (17 percent) (P <.05). CONCLUSION: Severity measures are best related to patients' subjective perception of relie

Pneumomediastinum and (bilateral) pneumothorax after high energy trauma: Indications for emergency bronchoscopy

High energy trauma may cause injury to tracheobronchial structures. This is sometimes difficult to diagnose immediately. Pneumomediastinum and (bilateral) pneumothorax seen on a CT-scan of the thorax may suggest possible damage to central airways. Emergency bronchoscopy should be performed to detect and locate a possible tracheobronchial injury

The first report in Brazil of severe infection caused by community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA)

Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is an emergent pathogen in Brazil. However, there are no data on the prevalence of CA-MRSA. We report here the first well-characterized case of severe life-threatening CA-MRSA infection in a child living in Rio de Janeiro city. The patient had many complications including hematogenous osteomyelitis and involvement of multiple sites requiring drainage of soft-tissue abscess, and pleural and pericardial empyema. The MRSA isolates recovered were genotyped using PFGE, SCCmec typing and multilocus sequence typing. Disk diffusion tests were performed following Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute recommendations. In addition, the presence of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) was assessed by PCR amplification, using specific primers for lukF-pv (encoding for the F subunit of the PVL). The bacterial isolates were related to the ST30-SCCmecIV lineage (Oceania Southwest Pacific clone), a PVL producer CA-MRSA previously detected in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Also, the isolates analyzed were susceptible to all non-&#946;-lactam antibiotics tested. The present report demonstrates that disseminated CA-MRSA disease is also occurring in Rio de Janeiro. Thus, the empirical treatment of moderate or severe infections suspected of being associated with CA-MRSA needs to be reviewed in order to allow prompt initiation of an effective therapy that also covers these microorganisms