Revisiting the Hydrogen Storage Behavior of the Na-O-H System

Solid-state reactions between sodium hydride and sodium hydroxide are unusual among hydride-hydroxide systems since hydrogen can be stored reversibly. In order to understand the relationship between hydrogen uptake/release properties and phase/structure evolution, the dehydrogenation and hydrogenation behavior of the Na-O-H system has been investigated in detail both ex- and in-situ. Simultaneous thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis coupled to mass spectrometry (TG-DTA-MS) experiments of NaH-NaOH composites reveal two principal features: Firstly, an H₂ desorption event occurring between 240 and 380 °C and secondly an additional endothermic process at around 170 °C with no associated weight change. In-situ high-resolution synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction showed that NaOH appears to form a solid solution with NaH yielding a new cubic complex hydride phase below 200 °C. The Na-H-OH phase persists up to the maximum temperature of the in-situ diffraction experiment shortly before dehydrogenation occurs. The present work suggests that not only is the inter-phase synergic interaction of protic hydrogen (in NaOH) and hydridic hydrogen (in NaH) important in the dehydrogenation mechanism, but that also an intra-phase H^δ+… H^δ– interaction may be a crucial step in the desorption process.     

Using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to determine 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels for clinical assessment of vitamin D deficiency

Vitamin D is responsible for multiple metabolic functions in humans. Rickets are the most common disease caused by vitamin D deficiency. It is caused by poor calcium intake resulting in poor serum-ionized calcium. The purpose of this study is to develop a rapid, sensitive, and feasible method to determine the 25-hydroxy-vitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) levels in blood samples for clinical assessment. In this study, gas chromatography coupled mass spectrometry with trimethylsilyl derivatization (TMS-GC-MS) is the most suitable protocol for quantitative analyses of 25(OH)D3. Performance of method was evaluated and compared with liquid chromatography and immunoassay. Method validation has been carried out with plasma specimens. The limit of quantitation of TMS-GC-MS method is 1.5 ppb with good linear correlation. Furthermore, the dietary intake and nutritional status of vegetarian and non-vegetarians in Taiwan were assessed by our validated method. As a result, this vitamin D nutrition survey demonstrates that most Taiwanese people have insufficient vitamin D. Due to dietary habits; the male vegans may have the highest risk of vitamin D deficiency.     

Diabetes im Kindes- und Jugendalter

Type 1 diabetes is one of the commonest chronic disorders encountered in children and adolescents. When it first becomes apparent in children, approximately 20% of them have clinical and biochemical signs of ketoacidosis (DKA). In the presence of unusual clinical symptoms it is necessary to consider the possibility of associated conditions, such as coeliac disease, immunothyroiditis and Addison’s disease. Children with diabetes must be treated by a multidisciplinary team made up of paediatrician, paediatric diabetes specialist, psychologist, social worker, ophthalmologist, dietitian, nurse and diabetes counsellor, making it essential for them to be treated in regional specialised centres. They are treated in their own psychosocial environment and their families are involved in the therapy. Comprehensive, multidisciplinary treatment strategies have now made it possible for these patients to enjoy normal physical wellbeing and near-normal psychosocial development. Prevention and early treatment of of disturbances associated with diabetes remain an important concern. The fact that type 2 diabetes must now be looked for in overweight children and adolescents is a new aspect of diabetes medicine.     

Ernährung bei Diabetes

According to the current nutritional recommendations issued by professional diabetes and nutrition associations, diabetic patients should keep to a diet consisting of 45–60% carbohydrates, 10–20% protein, and not more than 35% fat. However, not all of these nutritional recommendations are evidence based. For example, current studies show that the intake of insoluble roughage may be underrepresented. It is also possible that diabetic patients could benefit from keeping to the lower end of the recommended range for carbohydrates (45%) and the upper end of the range advised for protein (20%).     

Psychologische Aspekte des diabetischen Fußsyndroms

It is often difficult for medical professionals to understand the behaviour of people with diabetic foot syndrome. We describe the different psychological factors that play a role in the maintenance of intermittent implementation of medical recommendations. In particular we look at the consequences of neuropathy and of the recommendation to offload pressure, as well as the contradictions between the realities of the patient and the medical professionals involved in their care. We show that the solutions that patients develop are based on normal psychological processes and we encourage professionals to consider these aspects in their relationship to people with DFS and when developing individualised preventative measures.     

Nitrate administration increases blood flow in dysfunctional but viable myocardium, leading to improved assessment of myocardial viability: A PET study.

SPECT with 99mTc-labeled agents is better able to detect viability after nitrate administration. Nitrates induce vasodilation and may increase blood flow to severely hypoperfused but viable myocardium, thereby enhancing tracer delivery and improving the detection of viability. Quantitative data on the changes in blood flow are lacking in SPECT but can be provided by PET. The aim of the present study was to use PET to evaluate whether nitrate administration increases blood flow to chronically dysfunctional but viable myocardium. METHODS: 13N-Ammonia PET was used to quantitatively assess blood flow, and 18F-FDG PET was used as the gold standard to detect viable myocardium. Twenty-five patients with chronic ischemic left ventricular dysfunction underwent 13N-ammonia PET at rest and after nitrate administration. RESULTS: A significant increase in nitrate-enhanced blood flow was observed in viable segments (from 0.55 +/- 0.15 to 0.68 +/- 0.24 mL/min/g, P < 0.05). No statistically significant change in blood flow was observed in nonviable segments (0.60 +/- 0.20 vs. 0.55 +/- 0.18 mL/min/g). A ratio of at least 1.1 for nitrate-enhanced flow to resting flow allowed optimal detection of viable myocardium, yielding a sensitivity of 82% with a specificity of 100%. CONCLUSION: 13N-Ammonia PET showed a significant increase in nitrate-enhanced blood flow in viable myocardium, whereas blood flow remained unchanged after nitrate administration in nonviable myocardium. Nitrate use during myocardial perfusion imaging will lead to improved assessment of myocardial viability.