Crystalline solids with extended non-interpenetrating three-dimensional crystal structures were synthesized that support well-defined pores with internal diameters of up to 48 angstroms. The Zn4O(CO2)6 unit was joined with either one or two kinds of organic link, 4,4',4''-[benzene-1,3,5-triyl-tris(ethyne-2,1-diyl)]tribenzoate (BTE), 4,4',44''-[benzene-1,3,5-triyl-tris(benzene-4,1-diyl)]tribenzoate (BBC), 4,4',44''-benzene-1,3,5-triyl-tribenzoate (BTB)/2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate (NDC), and BTE/biphenyl-4,4'-dicarboxylate (BPDC), to give four metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), MOF-180, -200, -205, and -210, respectively. Members of this series of MOFs show exceptional porosities and gas (hydrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide) uptake capacities. For example, MOF-210 has Brunauer-Emmett-Teller and Langmuir surface areas of 6240 and 10,400 square meters per gram, respectively, and a total carbon dioxide storage capacity of 2870 milligrams per gram. The volume-specific internal surface area of MOF-210 (2060 square meters per cubic centimeter) is equivalent to the outer surface of nanoparticles (3-nanometer cubes) and near the ultimate adsorption limit for solid materials.

Paramagnetic ultrasmall gadolinium oxide (Gd(2)O(3)) nanoparticles with particle diameters (d) of approximately 1 nm were synthesized by using three kinds of Gd(III) ion precursors and by refluxing each of them in tripropylene glycol under an O(2) flow. A large longitudinal relaxivity (r(1)) of water proton of 9.9 s(-1) mM(-1) was estimated. As a result, high contrast in vivo T(1) MR images of the brain tumor of a rat were observed. This large r(1) is discussed in terms of the huge surface to volume ratio (S/V) of the ultrasmall gadolinium oxide nanoparticles coupled with the cooperative induction of surface Gd(III) ions for the longitudinal relaxation of a water proton. It is found from the d dependence of r(1) that the optimal range of d for the maximal r(1), which may be used as an advanced T(1) MRI contrast agent, is 1-2.5 nm.

Background Community-based health workers (CBHWs) are frontline public health workers who are trusted members of the community they serve. Recently, considerable attention has been drawn to CBHWs in promoting healthy behaviors and health outcomes among vulnerable populations who often face health inequities. Objectives This systematic review synthesized evidence concerning the types of CBHW interventions, the qualification and characteristics of CBHWs, and patient outcomes and cost effectiveness of such interventions in vulnerable populations with chronic, non-communicable conditions. Search methods Four electronic database searches, including PubMed, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Cochrane, and hand searches of reference collections were undertaken to identify randomized controlled trials published in English before August 2014. Selection A total of 934 unique citations were screened initially for titles and abstracts. Two reviewers then independently evaluated 166 full-text articles that were passed onto review processes. Sixty-one studies and six companion articles (e.g., cost-effectiveness analysis) met eligibility criteria for inclusion. Data collection and analysis Data were extracted by 4 trained research assistants (RA) using a standardized data extraction form developed by the authors. Subsequently, an independent RA reviewed extracted data to check accuracy. Discrepancies were resolved through discussions among the study team members. Each study was evaluated for its quality by two RAs who extracted relevant study information. Inter-rater agreement rates ranged from 61% to 91% (average 86%). Any discrepancies in terms of quality rating were resolved through team discussions. Main results All but 4 studies were conducted in the U.S. The two most common areas for CBHW interventions were cancer prevention (n=30) and cardiovascular disease risk reduction (n=26). The roles assumed by CBHWs included: health education (n=48), counseling (n=36), navigation assistance (n=21), case management (n=4), social services (n=7), and social support (n=18). Fifty-three studies provided information regarding CBHW training, yet CBHW competency evaluation (n=9) and supervision procedures (n=24) were largely underreported. The length and duration of CBHW training ranged from 4 hours to 240 hours with an average of 41.3 hours (median: 16.5 hours) in 24 studies that reported length of training. Eight studies reported the frequency of supervision, which ranged from weekly to monthly. There was a trend toward improvements in cancer prevention (n=21) and cardiovascular risk reduction (n=16). Eight articles documented cost effective analysis and found that integrating CBHWs into the healthcare delivery system was associated with cost-effective and sustainable care. Conclusions CBHW interventions appear to be effective when compared to alternatives and also cost-effective for certain health conditions particularly when partnering with low-income, underserved, and racial a...

MOFs on the move: A copper coordinated [2]pseudorotaxanate which reacts with zinc nitrate to form an extended structure, consisting of three-fold interpenetrated networks, retains most of its solution-state chemistry including its ability to undergo electronic switching of some of the copper(I) ions under redox control.

A simple and general one-pot synthesis for water-soluble ligand-coated ultra small paramagnetic or superparamagnetic metal oxide nanoparticles with average particle diameters (d av. ) that range from 1-3 nm has been developed and used in molecular magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The iron oxide, manganese oxide, and gadolinium oxide nanoparticles are

In an iron ore sintering bed, combustion of solid fuel supplies heat needed for sintering of fine particles and determines the quality of the sintered ores and the productivity of the process. Coke has been widely used as an ideal fuel for this process, but recent attempts to partially replace coke with a less expensive fuel have been considered effective in the real applications. This paper reports simulation results of mathematical modeling of bed combustion as well as experimental observation from scale-downed pot tests. Combustion characteristics of the solid fuel bed are also described and fuel substitution from coke to anthracite coal is evaluated. A numerical model of the 1-D unsteady level considers the processes in the bed of particles: drying, devolatilization, char reactions, gaseous reactions, heat transfer, and geometrical changes of the bed material. The model can treat the solid material as multiple solid phases whose contents include fine particles of iron ore, limestone, coke, and coal. Quantitative parameters are newly defined for characterization of the bed combustion. These include flame front speed, sintering time, duration time in the combustion zone, combustion zone thickness, melting zone thickness, and maximum temperature. Relationships between these parameters and the mechanism of combustion propagation are also investigated. The results show quantitatively that temperature profiles, combustion propagation, and thickness of the combustion zone in the bed are dominated by combustion-related operating parameters. This description is applied to case studies for various coke contents, air supply rates, and fuel characteristics. It is shown that the different reactivity of anthracite in comparison with coke can significantly affect the bed combustion in terms of combustion propagation and the quality of the sintered ores in the upper part of the bed.

Objective As one of the fastest growing ethnic minority groups in the United States, Korean American (KA) women experience a heightened cervical cancer burden. The advent of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine offers an unprecedented opportunity to eliminate cervical cancer disparities in KA women. Yet, the uptake of HPV vaccine among KA adolescents remains suboptimal. Hence, we set out to explore knowledge, perceptions, and decision-making about HPV vaccination among KA women. Methods We conducted four focus groups of 26 KA women who participated in a community-based randomized controlled trial to promote breast and cervical cancer screening. Focus group data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results Four main themes emerged from the focus groups: (1) limited awareness and knowledge of HPV vaccine, (2) perceptions and beliefs about HPV vaccination (acceptance, negative perceptions, ambivalence), (3) patterns of decision-making about HPV vaccination (hierarchical, peer-influenced, autonomous, and collaborative), and (4) promoting HPV education and information-sharing in the Korean community. Conclusion KA women are generally favorable toward HPV vaccination but lack awareness and knowledge about HPV. Culturally tailored HPV education programs based on KA women’s decision-making patterns and effective information-sharing by trustworthy sources in comfortable environments are suggested strategies to promote HPV vaccination in the KA community. The findings point to the need for a multi-level approach to addressing linguistic, cultural, and system barriers that the recent immigrant community faces in promoting HPV vaccinations. In the development of targeted interventions for KA women, educational strategies and patterns of decision-making need to be considered.

Linking struts containing Cram-like bisbinaphthyl[22]crown-6 with Zn(4)O(CO(2))(6) joints affords metal-organic frameworks with chiral recognition sites that are highly designed, ordered and placed in a precise manner throughout the entire crystal.