Sample records for added electron donor

  1. Accelerating Quinoline Biodegradation and Oxidation with Endogenous Electron Donors.

    PubMed

    Bai, Qi; Yang, Lihui; Li, Rongjie; Chen, Bin; Zhang, Lili; Zhang, Yongming; Rittmann, Bruce E

    2015-10-06

    Quinoline, a recalcitrant heterocyclic compound, is biodegraded by a series of reactions that begin with mono-oxygenations, which require an intracellular electron donor. Photolysis of quinoline can generate readily biodegradable products, such as oxalate, whose bio-oxidation can generate endogenous electron donors that ought to accelerate quinoline biodegradation and, ultimately, mineralization. To test this hypothesis, we compared three protocols for the biodegradation of quinoline: direct biodegradation (B), biodegradation after photolysis of 1 h (P1h+B) or 2 h (P2h+B), and biodegradation by adding oxalate commensurate to the amount generated from photolysis of 1 h (O1+B) or 2 h (O2+B). The experimental results show that P1h+B and P2h+B accelerated quinoline biodegradation by 19% and 50%, respectively, compared to B. Protocols O1+B and O2+B also gave 19% and 50% increases, respectively. During quinoline biodegradation, its first intermediate, 2-hydroxyquinoline, accumulated gradually in parallel to quinoline loss but declined once quinoline was depleted. Mono-oxygenation of 2-hydroxyquinoline competed with mono-oxygenation of quinoline, but the inhibition was relieved when extra electrons donors were added from oxalate, whether formed by UV photolysis or added exogenously. Rapid oxalate oxidation stimulated both mono-oxygenations, which accelerated the overall quinoline oxidation that provided the bulk of the electron donor.

  2. Tailored donor-acceptor polymers with an A-D1-A-D2 structure: controlling intermolecular interactions to enable enhanced polymer photovoltaic devices.

    PubMed

    Qin, Tianshi; Zajaczkowski, Wojciech; Pisula, Wojciech; Baumgarten, Martin; Chen, Ming; Gao, Mei; Wilson, Gerry; Easton, Christopher D; Müllen, Klaus; Watkins, Scott E

    2014-04-23

    Extensive efforts have been made to develop novel conjugated polymers that give improved performance in organic photovoltaic devices. The use of polymers based on alternating electron-donating and electron-accepting units not only allows the frontier molecular orbitals to be tuned to maximize the open-circuit voltage of the devices but also controls the optical band gap to increase the number of photons absorbed and thus modifies the other critical device parameter-the short circuit current. In fact, varying the nonchromophoric components of a polymer is often secondary to the efforts to adjust the intermolecular aggregates and improve the charge-carrier mobility. Here, we introduce an approach to polymer synthesis that facilitates simultaneous control over both the structural and electronic properties of the polymers. Through the use of a tailored multicomponent acceptor-donor-acceptor (A-D-A) intermediate, polymers with the unique structure A-D1-A-D2 can be prepared. This approach enables variations in the donor fragment substituents such that control over both the polymer regiochemistry and solubility is possible. This control results in improved intermolecular π-stacking interactions and therefore enhanced charge-carrier mobility. Solar cells using the A-D1-A-D2 structural polymer show short-circuit current densities that are twice that of the simple, random analogue while still maintaining an identical open-circuit voltage. The key finding of this work is that polymers with an A-D1-A-D2 structure offer significant performance benefits over both regioregular and random A-D polymers. The chemical synthesis approach that enables the preparation of A-D1-A-D2 polymers therefore represents a promising new route to materials for high-efficiency organic photovoltaic devices.

  3. Solvent as electron donor: Donor/acceptor electronic coupling is a dynamical variable

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Castner, E.W. Jr.; Kennedy, D.; Cave, R.J.

    2000-04-06

    The authors combine analysis of measurements by femtosecond optical spectroscopy, computer simulations, and the generalized Mulliken-Hush (GMH) theory in the study of electron-transfer reactions and electron donor-acceptor interactions. The study focus is on ultrafast photoinduced electron-transfer reactions from aromatic amine solvent donors to excited-state acceptors. The experimental results from femtosecond dynamical measurements fall into three categories: six coumarin acceptors reductively quenched by N,N-dimethylaniline (DMA), eight electron-donating amine solvents reductively quenching coumarin 152 (7-(dimethylamino)-4-(trifluoromethyl)-coumarin), and reductive quenching dynamics of two coumarins by DMA as a function of dilution in the nonreactive solvents toluene and chlorobenzene. Applying a combination of molecular dynamicsmore » trajectories, semiempirical quantum mechanical calculations (of the relevant adiabatic electronic states), and GMH theory to the C152/DMA photoreaction, the authors calculate the electron donor/acceptor interaction parameter H{sub DA} at various time frames, H{sub DA} is strongly modulated by both inner-sphere and outer-sphere nuclear dynamics, leading us to conclude that H{sub DA} must be considered as a dynamical variable.« less

  4. Uranium reduction and microbial community development in response to stimulation with different electron donors.

    PubMed

    Barlett, Melissa; Moon, Hee Sun; Peacock, Aaron A; Hedrick, David B; Williams, Kenneth H; Long, Philip E; Lovley, Derek; Jaffe, Peter R

    2012-07-01

    Stimulating microbial reduction of soluble U(VI) to less soluble U(IV) shows promise as an in situ bioremediation strategy for uranium contaminated groundwater, but the optimal electron donors for promoting this process have yet to be identified. The purpose of this study was to better understand how the addition of various electron donors to uranium-contaminated subsurface sediments affected U(VI) reduction and the composition of the microbial community. The simple electron donors, acetate or lactate, or the more complex donors, hydrogen-release compound (HRC) or vegetable oil, were added to the sediments incubated in flow-through columns. The composition of the microbial communities was evaluated with quantitative PCR probing specific 16S rRNA genes and functional genes, phospholipid fatty acid analysis, and clone libraries. All the electron donors promoted U(VI) removal, even though the composition of the microbial communities was different with each donor. In general, the overall biomass, rather than the specific bacterial species, was the factor most related to U(VI) removal. Vegetable oil and HRC were more effective in stimulating U(VI) removal than acetate. These results suggest that the addition of more complex organic electron donors could be an excellent option for in situ bioremediation of uranium-contaminated groundwater.

  5. Hybrid super electron donors - preparation and reactivity.

    PubMed

    Garnier, Jean; Thomson, Douglas W; Zhou, Shengze; Jolly, Phillip I; Berlouis, Leonard E A; Murphy, John A

    2012-01-01

    Neutral organic electron donors, featuring pyridinylidene-imidazolylidene, pyridinylidene-benzimidazolylidene and imidazolylidene-benzimidazolylidene linkages are reported. The pyridinylidene-benzimidazolylidene and imidazolylidene-benzimidazolylidene hybrid systems were designed to be the first super electron donors to convert iodoarenes to aryl radicals at room temperature, and indeed both show evidence for significant aryl radical formation at room temperature. The stronger pyridinylidene-imidazolylidene donor converts iodoarenes to aryl anions efficiently under appropriate conditions (3 equiv of donor). The presence of excess sodium hydride base has a very important and selective effect on some of these electron-transfer reactions, and a rationale for this is proposed.

  6. Nanographenes as electron-deficient cores of donor-acceptor systems.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yu-Min; Hou, Hao; Zhou, Yan-Zhen; Zhao, Xin-Jing; Tang, Chun; Tan, Yuan-Zhi; Müllen, Klaus

    2018-05-15

    Conjugation of nanographenes (NGs) with electro-active molecules can establish donor-acceptor π-systems in which the former generally serve as the electron-donating moieties due to their electronic-rich nature. In contrast, here we report a series of reversed donor-acceptor structures are obtained by C-N coupling of electron-deficient perchlorinated NGs with electron-rich anilines. Selective amination at the vertexes of the NGs is unambiguously shown through X-ray crystallography. By varying the donating ability of the anilino groups, the optical and assembly properties of donor-acceptor NGs can be finely modulated. The electron-deficient concave core of the resulting conjugates can host electron-rich guest molecules by intermolecular donor-acceptor interactions and gives rise to charge-transfer supramolecular architectures.

  7. Charged dopants in neutral supercells through substitutional donor (acceptor): nitrogen donor charging of the nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Löfgren, Robin; Pawar, Ravinder; Öberg, Sven; Larsson, J. Andreas

    2018-02-01

    Charged defects are traditionally computed by adding (subtracting) electrons for negative (positive) impurities. When using periodic boundary conditions this results in artificially charged supercells that also require a compensating background charge of the opposite sign, which makes slab supercells problematic because of an arbitrary dependence on the vacuum thickness. In this work, we test the method of using neutral supercells through the use of a substitutional electron donor (acceptor) to describe charged systems. We use density functional theory (DFT) to compare the effects of charging the well-studied NV-center in diamond by a substitutional donor nitrogen. We investigate the influence of the donor-N on the NV-center properties as a function of the distance between them, and find that they converge toward those obtained when adding an electron. We analyze the spin density and conclude that the donor-N has a zero magnetic moment, and thus, will not be seen in electron spin resonance. We validate our DFT energies through comparison to GW simulations. Charging the NV-center with a substitutional donor-N enables accurate calculations of slabs, without the ambiguity of using charged supercells. Implantation of donor-N atoms opens up the possibility to engineer NV-centers with the desired charge state for future ICT and sensor applications.

  8. Photoinduced Bimolecular Electron Transfer in Ionic Liquids: Cationic Electron Donors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wu, Boning; Liang, Min; Zmich, Nicole

    Recently, we have reported a systematic study of photoinduced electron-transfer reactions in ionic liquid solvents using neutral and anionic electron donors and a series of cyano-substituted anthracene acceptors [Wu, B.; Maroncelli, M.; Castner, E. W., Jr.Photoinduced Bimolecular Electron Transfer in Ionic Liquids. J. Am. Chem. Soc.139, 2017, 14568]. In this paper, we report complementary results for a cationic class of 1-alkyl-4-dimethylaminopyridinium electron donors. Reductive quenching of cyano-substituted anthracene fluorophores by these cationic quenchers is studied in solutions of acetonitrile and the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide. Varying the length of the alkyl chain permits tuning of the quencher diffusivities in solution.more » The observed quenching kinetics are interpreted using a diffusion-reaction analysis. Finally, together with results from the prior study, these results show that the intrinsic electron-transfer rate constant does not depend on the quencher charge in this family of reactions.« less

  9. Photoinduced Bimolecular Electron Transfer in Ionic Liquids: Cationic Electron Donors

    DOE PAGES

    Wu, Boning; Liang, Min; Zmich, Nicole; ...

    2018-01-29

    Recently, we have reported a systematic study of photoinduced electron-transfer reactions in ionic liquid solvents using neutral and anionic electron donors and a series of cyano-substituted anthracene acceptors [Wu, B.; Maroncelli, M.; Castner, E. W., Jr.Photoinduced Bimolecular Electron Transfer in Ionic Liquids. J. Am. Chem. Soc.139, 2017, 14568]. In this paper, we report complementary results for a cationic class of 1-alkyl-4-dimethylaminopyridinium electron donors. Reductive quenching of cyano-substituted anthracene fluorophores by these cationic quenchers is studied in solutions of acetonitrile and the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide. Varying the length of the alkyl chain permits tuning of the quencher diffusivities in solution.more » The observed quenching kinetics are interpreted using a diffusion-reaction analysis. Finally, together with results from the prior study, these results show that the intrinsic electron-transfer rate constant does not depend on the quencher charge in this family of reactions.« less

  10. Electron donor preference of a reductive dechlorinating consortium

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lorah, M.M.; Majcher, E.; Jones, E.; Driedger, G.; Dworatzek, S.; Graves, D.

    2005-01-01

    A wetland sediment-derived microbial consortium was developed by the USGS and propagated in vitro to large quantities by SiREM Laboratory for use in bioaugmentation applications. The consortium had the capacity to completely dechlorinate 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethene, tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, cis- and trans-1,2-dichoroethylene, 1.1-dichloroethylene, 1,2-dichloroethane, vinyl chloride, carbon tetrachloride and chloroform. A suite of electron donors with characteristics useful for bioaugmentation applications was tested. The electron donors included lactate (the donor used during WBC-2 development), ethanol, chitin (Chitorem???), hydrogen releasing compound (HRC???), emulsified vegetable oil (Newman Zone???), and hydrogen gas. Ethanol, lactate, and chitin were particularly effective with respect to stimulating, supporting, and sustaining reductive dechlorination of the broad suite of chemicals that WBC-2 biodegraded. Chitorem??? was the most effective "slow release" electron donor tested. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the Proceedings of the 8th International In Situ and On-Site Bioremediation Symposium (Baltimore, MD 6/6-9/2005).

  11. Fine-tuning of electronic properties in donor-acceptor conjugated polymers based on oligothiophenes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Imae, Ichiro; Sagawa, Hitoshi; Harima, Yutaka

    2018-03-01

    A novel series of donor-acceptor conjugated polymers having oligothiophenes with well-defined structures were synthesized and their optical, electrochemical, and photovoltaic properties were investigated. It was found that the absorption bands of polymers were red-shifted with increasing number of ethylenedioxy groups added to each oligothiophene unit and that their band edges reached over 1000 nm. The systematical fine-tuning of the electronic properties was achieved using the chemical structures of oligothiophene units. Photovoltaic cells based on polymer/(6,6)-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) exhibited power conversion efficiencies in the range from 0.004 to 1.10%, reflecting the electronic properties of the polymers.

  12. 2012 Gordon Research Conference, Electron donor-acceptor interactions, August 5-10 2012

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    McCusker, James

    The upcoming incarnation of the Gordon Research Conference on Electron Donor Acceptor Interactions will feature sessions on classic topics including proton-coupled electron transfer, dye-sensitized solar cells, and biological electron transfer, as well as emerging areas such as quantum coherence effects in donor-acceptor interactions, spintronics, and the application of donor-acceptor interactions in chemical synthesis.

  13. Comparison between acetate and hydrogen as electron donors and implications for the reductive dehalogenation of PCE and TCE.

    PubMed

    Lee, Il-Su; Bae, Jae-Ho; McCarty, Perry L

    2007-10-30

    Bioremediation by reductive dehalogenation of groundwater contaminated with tetrachloroethene (PCE) or trichloroethene (TCE) is generally carried out through the addition of a fermentable electron donor such as lactate, benzoate, carbohydrates or vegetable oil. These fermentable donors are converted by fermenting organisms into acetate and hydrogen, either of which might be used by dehalogenating microorganisms. Comparisons were made between H2 and acetate on the rate and extent of reductive dehalogenation of PCE. PCE dehalogenation with H2 alone was complete to ethene, but with acetate alone it generally proceeded only about half as fast and only to cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cDCE). Additionally, acetate was not used as an electron donor in the presence of H2. These findings suggest the fermentable electron donor requirement for PCE dehalogenation to ethene can be reduced up to 50% by separating PCE dehalogenation into two stages, the first of which uses acetate for the conversion of PCE to cDCE, and the second uses H2 for the conversion of cDCE to ethene. This can be implemented with a recycle system in which the fermentable substrate is added down-gradient, where the hydrogen being produced by fermentation effects cDCE conversion into ethene. The acetate produced is recycled up-gradient to achieve PCE conversion into cDCE. With the lower electron donor usage required, potential problems of aquifer clogging, excess methane production, and high groundwater chemical oxygen demand (COD) can be greatly reduced.

  14. Comparison between acetate and hydrogen as electron donors and implications for the reductive dehalogenation of PCE and TCE

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Il-Su; Bae, Jae-Ho; McCarty, Perry L.

    2007-10-01

    Bioremediation by reductive dehalogenation of groundwater contaminated with tetrachloroethene (PCE) or trichloroethene (TCE) is generally carried out through the addition of a fermentable electron donor such as lactate, benzoate, carbohydrates or vegetable oil. These fermentable donors are converted by fermenting organisms into acetate and hydrogen, either of which might be used by dehalogenating microorganisms. Comparisons were made between H 2 and acetate on the rate and extent of reductive dehalogenation of PCE. PCE dehalogenation with H 2 alone was complete to ethene, but with acetate alone it generally proceeded only about half as fast and only to cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cDCE). Additionally, acetate was not used as an electron donor in the presence of H 2. These findings suggest the fermentable electron donor requirement for PCE dehalogenation to ethene can be reduced up to 50% by separating PCE dehalogenation into two stages, the first of which uses acetate for the conversion of PCE to cDCE, and the second uses H 2 for the conversion of cDCE to ethene. This can be implemented with a recycle system in which the fermentable substrate is added down-gradient, where the hydrogen being produced by fermentation effects cDCE conversion into ethene. The acetate produced is recycled up-gradient to achieve PCE conversion into cDCE. With the lower electron donor usage required, potential problems of aquifer clogging, excess methane production, and high groundwater chemical oxygen demand (COD) can be greatly reduced.

  15. Autotrophic antimonate bio-reduction using hydrogen as the electron donor.

    PubMed

    Lai, Chun-Yu; Wen, Li-Lian; Zhang, Yin; Luo, Shan-Shan; Wang, Qing-Ying; Luo, Yi-Hao; Chen, Ran; Yang, Xiaoe; Rittmann, Bruce E; Zhao, He-Ping

    2016-01-01

    Antimony (Sb), a toxic metalloid, is soluble as antimonate (Sb(V)). While bio-reduction of Sb(V) is an effective Sb-removal approach, its bio-reduction has been coupled to oxidation of only organic electron donors. In this study, we demonstrate, for the first time, the feasibility of autotrophic microbial Sb(V) reduction using hydrogen gas (H2) as the electron donor without extra organic carbon source. SEM and EDS analysis confirmed the production of the mineral precipitate Sb2O3. When H2 was utilized as the electron donor, the consortium was able to fully reduce 650 μM of Sb(V) to Sb(III) in 10 days, a rate comparable to the culture using lactate as the electron donor. The H2-fed culture directed a much larger fraction of it donor electrons to Sb(V) reduction than did the lactate-fed culture. While 98% of the electrons from H2 were used to reduce Sb(V) by the H2-fed culture, only 12% of the electrons from lactate was used to reduce Sb(V) by the lactate-fed culture. The rest of the electrons from lactate went to acetate and propionate through fermentation, to methane through methanogenesis, and to biomass synthesis. High-throughput sequencing confirmed that the microbial community for the lactate-fed culture was much more diverse than that for the H2-fed culture, which was dominated by a short rod-shaped phylotype of Rhizobium (α-Protobacteria) that may have been active in Sb(V) reduction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. ESR Experiments on a Single Donor Electron in Isotopically Enriched Silicon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tracy, Lisa; Luhman, Dwight; Carr, Stephen; Borchardt, John; Bishop, Nathaniel; Ten Eyck, Gregory; Pluym, Tammy; Wendt, Joel; Witzel, Wayne; Blume-Kohout, Robin; Nielsen, Erik; Lilly, Michael; Carroll, Malcolm

    In this talk we will discuss electron spin resonance experiments in single donor silicon qubit devices fabricated at Sandia National Labs. A self-aligned device structure consisting of a polysilicon gate SET located adjacent to the donor is used for donor electron spin readout. Using a cryogenic HEMT amplifier next to the silicon device, we demonstrate spin readout at 100 kHz bandwidth and Rabi oscillations with 0.96 visibility. Electron spin resonance measurements on these devices show a linewidth of 30 kHz and coherence times T2* = 10 us and T2 = 0.3 ms. We also discuss estimates of the fidelity of our donor electron spin qubit measurements using gate set tomography. This work was performed, in part, at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, a U.S. DOE Office of Basic Energy Sciences user facility. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed-Martin Company, for the U. S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC04-94AL85000. ESR Experiments on a Single Donor Electron in Isotopically Enriched Silicon.

  17. Fullerene derivatives as electron donor for organic photovoltaic cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhuang, Taojun; Wang, Xiao-Feng, E-mail: xf-wang@yz.yamagata-u.ac.jp, E-mail: ziruo@yz.yamagata-u.ac.jp; Sano, Takeshi

    2013-11-11

    We demonstrated the performance of unconventional, all-fullerene-based, planar heterojunction (PHJ) organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells using fullerene derivatives indene-C{sub 60} bisadduct (ICBA) and phenyl C{sub 61}-butyric acid methyl ester as the electron donors with fullerene C{sub 70} as the electron acceptor. Two different charge generation processes, including charge generation in the fullerene bulk and exciton dissociation at the donor-acceptor interface, have been found to exist in such all-fullerene-based PHJ cells and the contribution to the total photocurrent from each process is strongly dependent on the thickness of fullerene donor. The optimized 5 nm ICBA/40 nm C{sub 70} PHJ cell gives clear external quantummore » efficiency responses for the long-wavelength photons corresponding to the dissociation of strongly bound Frenkel excitons, which is hardly observed in fullerene-based single layer reference devices. This approach using fullerene as a donor material provides further possibilities for developing high performance OPV cells.« less

  18. Electron shuttling in phosphorus donor qubit systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jacobson, N. Tobias; Gamble, John King; Nielsen, Erik; Muller, Richard P.; Witzel, Wayne M.; Montano, Ines; Carroll, Malcolm S.

    2014-03-01

    Phosphorus donors in silicon are a promising qubit architecture, due in large part to their long nuclear coherence times and the recent development of atomically precise fabrication methods. Here, we investigate issues related to implementing qubits with phosphorus donors in silicon, employing an effective mass theory that non-phenomenologically takes into account inter-valley coupling. We estimate the significant sources of decoherence and control errors in this system to compute the fidelity of primitive gates and gate timescales. We include the effects of valley repopulation during the process of shuttling an electron between a donor and nearby interface or between neighboring donors, evaluating the control requirements for ensuring adiabaticity with respect to the valley sector. This work was supported in part by the LDRD program at Sandia National Labs, a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corp, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corp, for the U.S. DOE NNSA under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

  19. Ultrafast photoinduced charge transport in Pt(II) donor-acceptor assembly bearing naphthalimide electron acceptor and phenothiazine electron donor.

    PubMed

    Sazanovich, Igor V; Best, Jonathan; Scattergood, Paul A; Towrie, Michael; Tikhomirov, Sergei A; Bouganov, Oleg V; Meijer, Anthony J H M; Weinstein, Julia A

    2014-12-21

    Visible light-induced charge transfer dynamics were investigated in a novel transition metal triad acceptor-chromophore-donor, (NDI-phen)Pt(II)(-C≡C-Ph-CH2-PTZ)2 (1), designed for photoinduced charge separation using a combination of time-resolved infrared (TRIR) and femtosecond electronic transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy. In 1, the electron acceptor is 1,4,5,8-naphthalene diimide (NDI), and the electron donor is phenothiazine (PTZ), and [(phen)Pt(-C≡C-Ph-)], where phen is 1,10-phenanthroline, represents the chromophoric core. The first excited state observed in 1 is a (3)MLCT/LL'CT, with {Pt(II)-acetylide}-to-phen character. Following that, charge transfer from the phen-anion onto the NDI subunit to form NDI(-)-phen-[Pt-(C≡C)2](+)-PTZ2 occurs with a time constant of 2.3 ps. This transition is characterised by appearance of the prominent NDI-anion features in both TRIR and TA spectra. The final step of the charge separation in 1 proceeds with a time constant of ∼15 ps during which the hole migrates from the [Pt-(C≡C)2] subunit to one of the PTZ groups. Charge recombination in 1 then occurs with two distinct time constants of 36 ns and 107 ns, corresponding to the back electron transfer to each of the two donor groups; a rather rare occurrence which manifests that the hole in the final charge-separated state is localised on one of the two donor PTZ groups. The assignment of the nature of the excited states and dynamics in 1 was assisted by TRIR investigations of the analogous previously reported ((COOEt)2bpy)Pt(C≡C-Ph-CH2-PTZ)2 (2), (J. E. McGarrah and R. Eisenberg, Inorg. Chem., 2003, 42, 4355; J. E. McGarrah, J. T. Hupp and S. N. Smirnov, J. Phys. Chem. A, 2009, 113, 6430) as well as (bpy)Pt(C≡C-Ph-C7H15)2, which represent the acceptor-free dyad, and the chromophoric core, respectively. Thus, the step-wise formation of the full charge-separated state on the picosecond time scale and charge recombination via tunnelling have been established; and

  20. Effect of two intermediate electron donors, NADPH and FADH(2), on Spirulina Delta (6)-desaturase co-expressed with two different immediate electron donors, cytochrome b (5) and ferredoxin, in Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Kurdrid, Pavinee; Subudhi, Sanjukta; Cheevadhanarak, Supapon; Tanticharoen, Morakot; Hongsthong, Apiradee

    2007-12-01

    When the gene desD encoding Spirulina Delta(6)-desaturase was heterologously expressed in E. coli, the enzyme was expressed without the ability to function. However, when this enzyme was co-expressed with an immediate electron donor, i.e. the cytochrome b (5) domain from Mucor rouxii, the results showed the production of GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), the product of the reaction catalyzed by Delta(6)-desaturase. The results revealed that in E. coli cells, where cytochrome b (5) is absent and ferredoxin, a natural electron donor of Delta(6)-desaturase, is present at a very low level, the cytochrome b (5) domain can complement for the function of ferredoxin in the host cells. In the present study, the Spirulina-ferredoxin gene was cloned and co-expressed with the Delta(6)-desaturase in E. coli. In comparison to the co-expression of cytochrome b ( 5 ) with the Delta(6)-desaturase, the co-expression with ferredoxin did not cause any differences in the GLA level. Moreover, the cultures containing the Delta(6)-desaturase co-expressed with cytochrome b (5) and ferredoxin were exogenously supplied with the intermediate electron donors, NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, reduced form) and FADH(2) (flavin adenine dinucleotide, reduced form), respectively. The GLA level in these host cells increased drastically, by approximately 50%, compared to the cells without the intermediate electron donors. The data indicated that besides the level of immediate electron donors, the level of intermediate electron donors is also critical for GLA production. Therefore, if the pools of the immediate and intermediate electron donors in the cells are manipulated, the GLA production in the heterologous host will be affected.

  1. Spin-orbit coupling induced two-electron relaxation in silicon donor pairs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, Yang; Das Sarma, S.

    2017-09-01

    We unravel theoretically a key intrinsic relaxation mechanism among the low-lying singlet and triplet donor-pair states in silicon, an important element in the fast-developing field of spintronics and quantum computation. Despite the perceived weak spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in Si, we find that our discovered relaxation mechanism, combined with the electron-phonon and interdonor interactions, drives the transitions in the two-electron states over a large range of donor coupling regimes. The scaling of the relaxation rate with interdonor exchange interaction J goes from J5 to J4 at the low to high temperature limits. Our analytical study draws on the symmetry analysis over combined band, donor envelope, and valley configurations. It uncovers naturally the dependence on the donor-alignment direction and triplet spin orientation, and especially on the dominant SOC source from donor impurities. While a magnetic field is not necessary for this relaxation, unlike in the single-donor spin relaxation, we discuss the crossover behavior with increasing Zeeman energy in order to facilitate comparison with experiments.

  2. Phylogenetic analysis of TCE-dechlorinating consortia enriched on a variety of electron donors.

    PubMed

    Freeborn, Ryan A; West, Kimberlee A; Bhupathiraju, Vishvesh K; Chauhan, Sadhana; Rahm, Brian G; Richardson, Ruth E; Alvarez-Cohen, Lisa

    2005-11-01

    Two rapidly fermented electron donors, lactate and methanol, and two slowly fermented electron donors, propionate and butyrate, were selected for enrichment studies to evaluate the characteristics of anaerobic microbial consortia that reductively dechlorinate TCE to ethene. Each electron donor enrichment subculture demonstrated the ability to dechlorinate TCE to ethene through several serial transfers. Microbial community analyses based upon 16S rDNA, including terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and clone library/sequencing, were performed to assess major changes in microbial community structure associated with electron donors capable of stimulating reductive dechlorination. Results demonstrated that five phylogenic subgroups or genera of bacteria were present in all consortia, including Dehalococcoides sp., low G+C Gram-positives (mostly Clostridium and Eubacterium sp.), Bacteroides sp., Citrobacter sp., and delta Proteobacteria (mostly Desulfovibrio sp.). Phylogenetic association indicates that only minor shifts in the microbial community structure occurred between the four alternate electron donor enrichments and the parent consortium. Inconsistent detection of Dehalococcoides spp. in clone libraries and T-RFLP of enrichment subcultures was resolved using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR). Q-PCR with primers specific to Dehalococcoides 16S rDNA resulted in positive detection of this species in all enrichments. Our results suggest that TCE-dechlorinating consortia can be stably maintained on a variety of electron donors and that quantities of Dehalococcoides cells detected with Dehalococcoides specific 16S rDNA primer/probe sets do not necessarily correlate well with solvent degradation rates.

  3. Electronic messaging and communication with living kidney donors.

    PubMed

    Ruck, Jessica M; Zhou, Sheng; Thomas, Alvin G; Cramm, Shannon L; Massie, Allan B; Montgomery, John R; Berger, Jonathan C; Henderson, Macey L; Segev, Dorry L

    2018-02-01

    New regulations require living kidney donor (LKD) follow-up for 2 years, but donor retention remains poor. Electronic communication (eg, text messaging and e-mail) might improve donor retention. To explore the possible impact of electronic communication, we recruited LKDs to participate in an exploratory study of communication via telephone, e-mail, or text messaging postdonation; communication through this study was purely optional and did not replace standard follow-up. Of 69 LKDs recruited, 3% requested telephone call, 52% e-mail, and 45% text messaging. Telephone response rate was 0%; these LKDs were subsequently excluded from analysis. Overall response rates with e-mail or text messaging at 1 week, 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years were 94%, 87%, 81%, 72%, and 72%. Lower response rates were seen in African Americans, even after adjusting for age, sex, and contact method (incidence rate ratio (IRR) nonresponse 2.07 5.81 16.36 , P = .001). Text messaging had higher response rates than e-mail (IRR nonresponse 0.11 0.28 0.71 , P = .007). Rates of nonresponse were similar by sex (IRR 0.68, P = .4) and age (IRR 1.00, P > .9). In summary, LKDs strongly preferred electronic messaging over telephone and were highly responsive 2 years postdonation, even in this nonrequired, nonincentivized exploratory research study. These electronic communication tools can be automated and may improve regulatory compliance and postdonation care. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Interplay between barrier width and height in electron tunneling: photoinduced electron transfer in porphyrin-based donor-bridge-acceptor systems.

    PubMed

    Pettersson, Karin; Wiberg, Joanna; Ljungdahl, Thomas; Mårtensson, Jerker; Albinsson, Bo

    2006-01-12

    The rate of electron tunneling in molecular donor-bridge-acceptor (D-B-A) systems is determined both by the tunneling barrier width and height, that is, both by the distance between the donor and acceptor as well as by the energy gap between the donor and bridge moieties. These factors are therefore important to control when designing functional electron transfer systems, such as constructs for photovoltaics, artificial photosynthesis, and molecular scale electronics. In this paper we have investigated a set of D-B-A systems in which the distance and the energy difference between the donor and bridge states (DeltaEDB) are systematically varied. Zinc(II) and gold(III) porphyrins were chosen as electron donor and acceptor because of their suitable driving force for photoinduced electron transfer (-0.9 eV in butyronitrile) and well-characterized photophysics. We have previously shown, in accordance with the superexchange mechanism for electron transfer, that the electron transfer rate is proportional to the inverse of DeltaEDB in a series of zinc/gold porphyrin D-B-A systems with bridges of constant edge to edge distance (19.6 A) and varying DeltaEDB (3900-17 600 cm(-1)). Here, we use the same donor and acceptor but the bridge is shortened or extended giving a set of oligo-p-phenyleneethynylene bridges (OPE) with four different edge to edge distances ranging from 12.7 to 33.4 A. These two sets of D-B-A systems-ZnP-RB-AuP+ and ZnP-nB-AuP+-have one bridge in common, and hence, for the first time both the distance and DeltaEDB dependence of electron transfer can be studied simultaneously in a systematic way.

  5. Electron-Transfer Dynamics for a Donor-Bridge-Acceptor Complex in Ionic Liquids.

    PubMed

    DeVine, Jessalyn A; Labib, Marena; Harries, Megan E; Rached, Rouba Abdel Malak; Issa, Joseph; Wishart, James F; Castner, Edward W

    2015-08-27

    Intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer from an N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine donor bridged by a diproline spacer to a coumarin 343 acceptor was studied using time-resolved fluorescence measurements in three ionic liquids and in acetonitrile. The three ionic liquids have the bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]amide anion paired with the tributylmethylammonium, 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium, and 1-decyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium cations. The dynamics in the two-proline donor-bridge-acceptor complex are compared to those observed for the same donor and acceptor connected by a single proline bridge, studied previously by Lee et al. (J. Phys. Chem. C 2012, 116, 5197). The increased conformational freedom afforded by the second bridging proline resulted in multiple energetically accessible conformations. The multiple conformations have significant variations in donor-acceptor electronic coupling, leading to dynamics that include both adiabatic and nonadiabatic contributions. In common with the single-proline bridged complex, the intramolecular electron transfer in the two-proline system was found to be in the Marcus inverted regime.

  6. Carbon Monoxide as an Electron Donor for the Biological Reduction of Sulphate

    PubMed Central

    Parshina, Sofiya N.; Sipma, Jan; Henstra, Anne Meint; Stams, Alfons J. M.

    2010-01-01

    Several strains of Gram-negative and Gram-positive sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are able to use carbon monoxide (CO) as a carbon source and electron donor for biological sulphate reduction. These strains exhibit variable resistance to CO toxicity. The most resistant SRB can grow and use CO as an electron donor at concentrations up to 100%, whereas others are already severely inhibited at CO concentrations as low as 1-2%. Here, the utilization, inhibition characteristics, and enzymology of CO metabolism as well as the current state of genomics of CO-oxidizing SRB are reviewed. Carboxydotrophic sulphate-reducing bacteria can be applied for biological sulphate reduction with synthesis gas (a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide) as an electron donor. PMID:20628586

  7. Spin Measurements of an Electron Bound to a Single Phosphorous Donor in Silicon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luhman, D. R.; Nguyen, K.; Tracy, L. A.; Carr, S. M.; Borchardt, J.; Bishop, N. C.; Ten Eyck, G. A.; Pluym, T.; Wendt, J.; Carroll, M. S.; Lilly, M. P.

    2014-03-01

    The spin of an electron bound to a single donor implanted in silicon is potentially useful for quantum information processing. We report on our efforts to measure and manipulate the spin of an electron bound to a single P donor in silicon. A low number of P donors are implanted using a self-aligned process into a silicon substrate in close proximity to a single-electron-transistor (SET) defined by lithographically patterned polysilicon gates. The SET is used to sense the occupancy of the electron on the donor and for spin read-out. An adjacent transmission line allows the application of microwave pulses to rotate the spin of the electron. We will present data from various experiments designed to exploit these capabilities. This work was performed, in part, at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, a U.S. DOE Office of Basic Energy Sciences user facility. The work was supported by Sandia National Laboratories Directed Research and Development Program. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed-Martin Company, for the U. S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC04-94AL85000.

  8. Comparison of nitrogen removal and microbial distribution in wastewater treatment process under different electron donor conditions.

    PubMed

    Park, Sora; Seon, Jiyun; Byun, Imgyu; Cho, Sunja; Park, Taejoo; Lee, Taeho

    2010-05-01

    The applicability of modified spent caustic (MSC) as an electron donor for denitrification was evaluated in a lab-scale reactor for the Bardenpho process under various electron donor conditions: (A) no electron donor, (B) methanol, (C) thiosulfate and (D) MSC conditions. TN removal efficiency varied in each condition, 23.1%, 87.8%, 83.7% and 71.7%, respectively. The distribution ratio of nitrifying bacteria and DGGE profile including sulfur-reducing or oxidizing bacteria also varied depending on the conditions. These results indicated that the MSC would be used as an efficient electron donor for denitrification by autotrophic denitrifier in wastewater treatment process. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Single-electron quantization at room temperature in a-few-donor quantum dot in silicon nano-transistors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Samanta, Arup; Muruganathan, Manoharan; Hori, Masahiro; Ono, Yukinori; Mizuta, Hiroshi; Tabe, Michiharu; Moraru, Daniel

    2017-02-01

    Quantum dots formed by donor-atoms in Si nanodevices can provide a breakthrough for functionality at the atomic level with one-by-one control of electrons. However, single-electron effects in donor-atom devices have only been observed at low temperatures mainly due to the low tunnel barriers. If a few donor-atoms are closely coupled as a molecule to form a quantum dot, the ground-state energy level is significantly deepened, leading to higher tunnel barriers. Here, we demonstrate that such an a-few-donor quantum dot, formed by selective conventional doping of phosphorus (P) donors in a Si nano-channel, sustains Coulomb blockade behavior even at room temperature. In this work, such a quantum dot is formed by 3 P-donors located near the center of the selectively-doped area, which is consistent with a statistical analysis. This finding demonstrates practical conditions for atomic- and molecular-level electronics based on donor-atoms in silicon nanodevices.

  10. Electron Donor-Acceptor Nature of the Ethanol-CO2 Dimer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McGuire, Brett A.; Martin-Drumel, Marie-Aline; McCarthy, Michael A.

    2017-08-01

    Supercritical CO2 is an appealing nontoxic, environmentally friendly solvent for the industrial extraction of many classes of compounds, from caffeine to natural product drug precursors to petrochemical impurities. Apolar in isolation, the ability of supercritical CO2 to dissolve polar species has been empirically shown to be greatly enhanced by the addition of a small molar percentage of a polar cosolvent, often ethanol. Computational work predicts that the isolated ethanol-CO2 complex can exist either in an electron-donor configuration or through a hydrogen-bonding one; yet, neither has been previously experimentally observed. Here, we demonstrate by rotational spectroscopy that the isolated, gas-phase ethanol-CO2 dimer is an electron donor-acceptor complex.

  11. Fine Splitting of Electron States in Silicon Nanocrystal with a Hydrogen-like Shallow Donor

    PubMed Central

    2007-01-01

    Electron structure of a silicon quantum dot doped with a shallow hydrogen-like donor has been calculated for the electron states above the optical gap. Within the framework of the envelope-function approach we have calculated the fine splitting of the ground sixfold degenerate electron state as a function of the donor position inside the quantum dot. Also, dependence of the wave functions and energies on the dot size was obtained.

  12. Modular Electron Donor Group Tuning Of Frontier Energy Levels In Diarylaminofluorenone Push-Pull Molecules

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Homnick, Paul J.; Lahti, P. M.

    2012-01-01

    Push–pull organic molecules composed of electron donor diarylamines at the 2- and 2,7-positions of fluorenone exhibit intramolecular charge-transfer behaviour in static absorption and emission spectra. Electrochemical and spectral data combined in a modular electronic analysis model show how the donor HOMO and acceptor LUMO act as major determinants of the frontier molecular orbital energy levels.

  13. Two-electron spin correlations in precision placed donors in silicon.

    PubMed

    Broome, M A; Gorman, S K; House, M G; Hile, S J; Keizer, J G; Keith, D; Hill, C D; Watson, T F; Baker, W J; Hollenberg, L C L; Simmons, M Y

    2018-03-07

    Substitutional donor atoms in silicon are promising qubits for quantum computation with extremely long relaxation and dephasing times demonstrated. One of the critical challenges of scaling these systems is determining inter-donor distances to achieve controllable wavefunction overlap while at the same time performing high fidelity spin readout on each qubit. Here we achieve such a device by means of scanning tunnelling microscopy lithography. We measure anti-correlated spin states between two donor-based spin qubits in silicon separated by 16 ± 1 nm. By utilising an asymmetric system with two phosphorus donors at one qubit site and one on the other (2P-1P), we demonstrate that the exchange interaction can be turned on and off via electrical control of two in-plane phosphorus doped detuning gates. We determine the tunnel coupling between the 2P-1P system to be 200 MHz and provide a roadmap for the observation of two-electron coherent exchange oscillations.

  14. Low potential manganese ions as efficient electron donors in native anoxygenic bacteria.

    PubMed

    Deshmukh, Sasmit S; Protheroe, Charles; Ivanescu, Matei-Alexandru; Lag, Sarah; Kálmán, László

    2018-04-01

    Systematic control over molecular driving forces is essential for understanding the natural electron transfer processes as well as for improving the efficiency of the artificial mimics of energy converting enzymes. Oxygen producing photosynthesis uniquely employs manganese ions as rapid electron donors. Introducing this attribute to anoxygenic photosynthesis may identify evolutionary intermediates and provide insights to the energetics of biological water oxidation. This work presents effective environmental methods that substantially and simultaneously tune the redox potentials of manganese ions and the cofactors of a photosynthetic enzyme from native anoxygenic bacteria without the necessity of genetic modification or synthesis. A spontaneous coordination with bis-tris propane lowered the redox potential of the manganese (II) to manganese (III) transition to an unusually low value (~400 mV) at pH 9.4 and allowed its binding to the bacterial reaction center. Binding to a novel buried binding site elevated the redox potential of the primary electron donor, a dimer of bacteriochlorophylls, by up to 92 mV also at pH 9.4 and facilitated the electron transfer that is able to compete with the wasteful charge recombination. These events impaired the function of the natural electron donor and made BTP-coordinated manganese a viable model for an evolutionary alternative. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Longitudinal and transverse spin dynamics of donor-bound electrons in fluorine-doped ZnSe: Spin inertia versus Hanle effect

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heisterkamp, F.; Zhukov, E. A.; Greilich, A.; Yakovlev, D. R.; Korenev, V. L.; Pawlis, A.; Bayer, M.

    2015-06-01

    The spin dynamics of strongly localized donor-bound electrons in fluorine-doped ZnSe epilayers is studied using pump-probe Kerr rotation techniques. A method exploiting the spin inertia is developed and used to measure the longitudinal spin relaxation time T1 in a wide range of magnetic fields, temperatures, and pump densities. The T1 time of the donor-bound electron spin of about 1.6 μ s remains nearly constant for external magnetic fields varied from zero up to 2.5 T (Faraday geometry) and in a temperature range 1.8-45 K. These findings impose severe restrictions on possible spin relaxation mechanisms. In our opinion they allow us to rule out scattering between free and donor-bound electrons, jumping of electrons between different donor centers, scattering between phonons and donor-bound electrons, and with less certainty charge fluctuations in the environment of the donors caused by the 1.5 ps pulsed laser excitation.

  16. Dissimilatory arsenate reduction with sulfide as electron donor: Experiments with Mono Lake water and isolation of strain MLMS-1, a chemoautotrophic arsenate respirer

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hoeft, S.E.; Kulp, T.R.; Stolz, J.F.; Hollibaugh, J.T.; Oremland, R.S.

    2004-01-01

    Anoxic bottom water from Mono Lake, California, can biologically reduce added arsenate without any addition of electron donors. Of the possible in situ inorganic electron donors present, only sulfide was sufficiently abundant to drive this reaction. We tested the ability of sulfide to serve as an electron donor for arsenate reduction in experiments with lake water. Reduction of arsenate to arsenite occurred simultaneously with the removal of sulfide. No loss of sulfide occurred in controls without arsenate or in sterilized samples containing both arsenate and sulfide. The rate of arsenate reduction in lake water was dependent on the amount of available arsenate. We enriched for a bacterium that could achieve growth with sulfide and arsenate in a defined, mineral medium and purified it by serial dilution. The isolate, strain MLMS-1, is a gram-negative, motile curved rod that grows by oxidizing sulfide to sulfate while reducing arsenate to arsenite. Chemoautotrophy was confirmed by the incorporation of H14CO3- into dark-incubated cells, but preliminary gene probing tests with primers for ribulose-1,5-biphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase did not yield PCR-amplified products. Alignment of 16S rRNA sequences indicated that strain MLMS-1 was in the ??-Proteobacteria, located near sulfate reducers like Desulfobulbus sp. (88 to 90% similarity) but more closely related (97%) to unidentified sequences amplified previously from Mono Lake. However, strain MLMS-1 does not grow with sulfate as its electron acceptor.

  17. Donor-bridge-acceptor energetics determine the distance dependence of electron tunneling in DNA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lewis, Frederick D.; Liu, Jianqin; Weigel, Wilfried; Rettig, Wolfgang; Kurnikov, Igor V.; Beratan, David N.

    2002-10-01

    Electron transfer (ET) processes in DNA are of current interest because of their involvement in oxidative strand cleavage reactions and their relevance to the development of molecular electronics. Two mechanisms have been identified for ET in DNA, a single-step tunneling process and a multistep charge-hopping process. The dynamics of tunneling reactions depend on both the distance between the electron donor and acceptor and the nature of the molecular bridge separating the donor and acceptor. In the case of protein and alkane bridges, the distance dependence is not strongly dependent on the properties of the donor and acceptor. In contrast, we show here that the distance decay of DNA ET rates varies markedly with the energetics of the donor and acceptor relative to the bridge. Specifically, we find that an increase in the energy of the bridge states by 0.25 eV (1 eV = 1.602 × 1019 J) relative to the donor and acceptor energies for photochemical oxidation of nucleotides, without changing the reaction free energy, results in an increase in the characteristic exponential distance decay constant for the ET rates from 0.71 to 1.1 Å1. These results show that, in the small tunneling energy gap regime of DNA ET, the distance dependence is not universal; it varies strongly with the tunneling energy gap. These DNA ET reactions fill a "missing link" or transition regime between the large barrier (rapidly decaying) tunneling regime and the (slowly decaying) hopping regime in the general theory of bridge-mediated ET processes.

  18. Photoinduced electron transfer in fixed distance chlorophyll-quinone donor-acceptor molecules

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wasielewski, M.R.; Johnson, D.G.; Svec, W.A.

    1987-01-01

    A series of fixed distance chlorophyll-quinone donor-acceptor molecules have been prepared. The donor consists of either methyl pyropheophorbide a or methyl pyrochlorophyllide a, while the acceptor is either benzoquinone or naphthoquinone. The acceptors are fused to a triptycene spacer group, which in turn is attached to the donors at their vinyl groups. Picosecond transient absorption measurements have been used to identify electron transfer from the lowest excited singlet state of the donor to the acceptor as the mechanism of fluorescence quenching in these molecules. The charge separation rate constants increase from 2 x 10/sup 10/ s/sup -1/ to 4 xmore » 10/sup 11/ s/sup -1/ as the free energy of charge separation increases, while the radical pair recombination rate constants decrease from 1.2 x 10/sup 11/ s/sup -1/ to 2 x 10/sup 9/ s/sup -1/ as the free energy of recombination increases. The resulting total reorganization energy lambda = 0.9 eV.« less

  19. Comparison of lactate, formate, and propionate as hydrogen donors for the reductive dehalogenation of trichloroethene in a continuous-flow column

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Azizian, Mohammad F.; Marshall, Ian P. G.; Behrens, Sebastian; Spormann, Alfred M.; Semprini, Lewis

    2010-04-01

    A continuous-flow column study was conducted to analyze the reductive dehalogenation of trichloroethene (TCE) with aquifer material with high content of iron oxides. The column was bioaugmented with the Point Mugu (PM) culture, which is a mixed microbial enrichment culture capable of completely transforming TCE to ethene (ETH). We determined whether lactate, formate, or propionate fermentation resulted in more effective dehalogenation. Reductive dehalogenation, fermentation, and sulfate, Fe(III), and Mn(IV) reduction were all exhibited within the column. Different steady-states of dehalogenation were achieved based on the concentration of substrates added, with effective transformation to ETH obtained when ample electron donor equivalents were provided. Most of the metabolic reducing equivalents were channeled to sulfate, Fe(III), and Mn(IV) reduction. When similar electron reducing equivalents were added, the most effective dehalogenation was achieved with formate, with 14% of the electron equivalents going towards dehalogenation reactions, compared to 6.5% for lactate and 9.6% for propionate. Effective dehalogenation was maintained over 1000 days of column operation. Over 90% of electron equivalents added could be accounted for by the different electron accepting processes in the column, with 50% associated with soluble and precipitated Fe(II) and Mn(II). Bulk Fe(III) and Mn(IV) reduction was rather associated with lactate and propionate addition than formate addition. Sulfate reduction was a competing electron acceptor reaction with all three electron donors. DNA was extracted from solid coupon samples obtained during the course of the experiment and analyzed using 16S rRNA gene clone libraries and quantitative PCR. Lactate and propionate addition resulted in a significant increase in Geobacter, Spirochaetes, and Desulfitobacterium phylotypes relative to " Dehalococcoides" when compared to formate addition. Results from the molecular biological analyses support

  20. Dissimilatory arsenate reduction with sulfide as the electron donor--Experiments with Mono Lake water and isolation of strain MLMS-1, a chemoautotrophic arsenate-respirer

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hoeft, Shelley E.; Kulp, Thomas R.; Stolz, John F.; Hollibaugh, James T.; Oremland, Ronald S.

    2004-01-01

    Anoxic bottom water from Mono Lake, California, can biologically reduce added arsenate without any addition of electron donors. Of the possible in situ inorganic electron donors present, only sulfide was sufficiently abundant to drive this reaction. We tested the ability of sulfide to serve as an electron donor for arsenate reduction in experiments with lake water. Reduction of arsenate to arsenite occurred simultaneously with the removal of sulfide. No loss of sulfide occurred in controls without arsenate or in sterilized samples containing both arsenate and sulfide. The rate of arsenate reduction in lake water was dependent on the amount of available arsenate. We enriched for a bacterium that could achieve growth with sulfide and arsenate in a defined, mineral medium and purified it by serial dilution. The isolate, strain MLMS-1, is a gram-negative, motile curved rod that grows by oxidizing sulfide to sulfate while reducing arsenate to arsenite. Chemoautotrophy was confirmed by the incorporation of H14CO3− into dark-incubated cells, but preliminary gene probing tests with primers for ribulose-1,5-biphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase did not yield PCR-amplified products. Alignment of 16S rRNA sequences indicated that strain MLMS-1 was in the δ-Proteobacteria, located near sulfate reducers like Desulfobulbus sp. (88 to 90% similarity) but more closely related (97%) to unidentified sequences amplified previously from Mono Lake. However, strain MLMS-1 does not grow with sulfate as its electron acceptor.

  1. Improving Effectiveness of Bioremediation at DNAPL Source Zone Sites by Applying Partitioning Electron Donors (PEDs)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-05-01

    as trichloroethene (TCE) and tetrachloroethene (PCE). EISB typically relies on the addition of electron donor formulations to enhance the rate of... value (NPV) cost when applied using passive (i.e., biostimulation) methods. Hence, the selection of electron donors has a major implication on EISB...Engineering Service Center NAVFACSW NAVFAC Southwest nBA n-Butyl acetate nBuOH n-Butanol nHEX n-Hexanol NPV net present value O&M operation and

  2. Motivations for Giving of Alumni Donors, Lapsed Donors and Non-Donors: Implications for Christian Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rugano, Emilio Kariuki

    2011-01-01

    This descriptive and causal comparative study sought to identify motivations for alumni donor acquisition and retention in Christian institutions of higher learning. To meet this objective, motivations for alumni donors, lapsed donors, and non-donors were analyzed and compared. Data was collected through an electronic survey of a stratified sample…

  3. Effect of sulfate on anaerobic reduction of nitrobenzene with acetate or propionate as an electron donor.

    PubMed

    Huang, Jingang; Wen, Yue; Ding, Ning; Xu, Yue; Zhou, Qi

    2012-09-15

    Sulfate is frequently found in wastewaters that contain nitrobenzene. To reveal the effect of sulfate on the reductive transformation of nitrobenzene to aniline--with acetate or propionate as potential electron donors in anaerobic systems--an acetate series (R1-R5) and a propionate series (R6-R10) were set up. Each of these was comprised of five laboratory-scale sequence batch reactors. The two series were amended with the same amount of nitrobenzene and electron donor electron equivalents, whereas with increasing sulfate concentrations. Results indicated that the presence of sulfate could depress nitrobenzene reduction. Such depression is linked to the inhibition of nitroreductase activity and/or the shift of electron flow. In the acetate series, although sulfate did not strongly compete with nitrobenzene for electron donors, noncompetitive inhibition of specific nitrobenzene reduction rates by sulfate was observed, with an inhibition constant of 0.40 mM. Propionate, which can produce intermediate H₂ as preferred reducing equivalent, is a more effective primary electron donor for nitrobenzene reduction as compared to acetate. In the propionate series, sulfate was found to be a preferential electron acceptor as compared to nitrobenzene, resulting in a quick depletion of propionate and then a likely termination of H₂-releasing under higher sulfate concentrations (R9 and R10). In such a situation, nitrobenzene reduction slowed down, occurring two-stage zero-order kinetics. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Ultrafast electron transfer in all-carbon-based SWCNT-C60 donor-acceptor nanoensembles connected by poly(phenylene-ethynylene) spacers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barrejón, Myriam; Gobeze, Habtom B.; Gómez-Escalonilla, María J.; Fierro, José Luis G.; Zhang, Minfang; Yudasaka, Masako; Iijima, Sumio; D'Souza, Francis; Langa, Fernando

    2016-08-01

    Building all-carbon based functional materials for light energy harvesting applications could be a solution to tackle and reduce environmental carbon output. However, development of such all-carbon based donor-acceptor hybrids and demonstration of photoinduced charge separation in such nanohybrids is a challenge since in these hybrids part of the carbon material should act as an electron donating or accepting photosensitizer while the second part should fulfil the role of an electron acceptor or donor. In the present work, we have successfully addressed this issue by synthesizing covalently linked all-carbon-based donor-acceptor nanoensembles using single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) as the donor and C60 as the acceptor. The donor-acceptor entities in the nanoensembles were connected by phenylene-ethynylene spacer units to achieve better electronic communication and to vary the distance between the components. These novel SWCNT-C60 nanoensembles have been characterized by a number of techniques, including TGA, FT-IR, Raman, AFM, absorbance and electrochemical methods. The moderate number of fullerene addends present on the side-walls of the nanotubes largely preserved the electronic structure of the nanotubes. The thermodynamic feasibility of charge separation in these nanoensembles was established using spectral and electrochemical data. Finally, occurrence of ultrafast electron transfer from the excited nanotubes in these donor-acceptor nanohybrids has been established by femtosecond transient absorption studies, signifying their utility in building light energy harvesting devices.Building all-carbon based functional materials for light energy harvesting applications could be a solution to tackle and reduce environmental carbon output. However, development of such all-carbon based donor-acceptor hybrids and demonstration of photoinduced charge separation in such nanohybrids is a challenge since in these hybrids part of the carbon material should act as an

  5. Spectral probes of the holographic Fermi ground state: Dialing between the electron star and AdS Dirac hair

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cubrovic, Mihailo; Liu Yan; Schalm, Koenraad

    2011-10-15

    We argue that the electron star and the anti-de Sitter (AdS) Dirac hair solution are two limits of the free charged Fermi gas in AdS. Spectral functions of holographic duals to probe fermions in the background of electron stars have a free parameter that quantifies the number of constituent fermions that make up the charge and energy density characterizing the electron star solution. The strict electron star limit takes this number to be infinite. The Dirac hair solution is the limit where this number is unity. This is evident in the behavior of the distribution of holographically dual Fermi surfaces.more » As we decrease the number of constituents in a fixed electron star background the number of Fermi surfaces also decreases. An improved holographic Fermi ground state should be a configuration that shares the qualitative properties of both limits.« less

  6. Fragment charge difference method for estimating donor-acceptor electronic coupling: Application to DNA π-stacks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Voityuk, Alexander A.; Rösch, Notker

    2002-09-01

    The purpose of this communication is two-fold. We introduce the fragment charge difference (FCD) method to estimate the electron transfer matrix element HDA between a donor D and an acceptor A, and we apply this method to several aspects of hole transfer electronic couplings in π-stacks of DNA, including systems with several donor-acceptor sites. Within the two-state model, our scheme can be simplified to recover a convenient estimate of the electron transfer matrix element HDA=(1-Δq2)1/2(E2-E1)/2 based on the vertical excitation energy E2-E1 and the charge difference Δq between donor and acceptor. For systems with strong charge separation, Δq≳0.95, one should resort to the FCD method. As favorable feature, we demonstrate the stability of the FCD approach for systems which require an approach beyond the two-state model. On the basis of ab initio calculations of various DNA related systems, we compared three approaches for estimating the electronic coupling: the minimum splitting method, the generalized Mulliken-Hush (GMH) scheme, and the FCD approach. We studied the sensitivity of FCD and GMH couplings to the donor-acceptor energy gap and found both schemes to be quite robust; they are applicable also in cases where donor and acceptor states are off resonance. In the application to π-stacks of DNA, we demonstrated for the Watson-Crick pair dimer [(GC),(GC)] how structural changes considerably affect the coupling strength of electron hole transfer. For models of three Watson-Crick pairs, we showed that the two-state model significantly overestimates the hole transfer coupling whereas simultaneous treatment of several states leads to satisfactory results.

  7. The spin relaxation of nitrogen donors in 6H SiC crystals as studied by the electron spin echo method

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Savchenko, D., E-mail: dariyasavchenko@gmail.com; National Technical University of Ukraine “Kyiv Polytechnic Institute,” Kyiv 03056; Shanina, B.

    2016-04-07

    We present the detailed study of the spin kinetics of the nitrogen (N) donor electrons in 6H SiC wafers grown by the Lely method and by the sublimation “sandwich method” (SSM) with a donor concentration of about 10{sup 17 }cm{sup −3} at T = 10–40 K. The donor electrons of the N donors substituting quasi-cubic “k1” and “k2” sites (N{sub k1,k2}) in both types of the samples revealed the similar temperature dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation rate (T{sub 1}{sup −1}), which was described by the direct one-phonon and two-phonon processes induced by the acoustic phonons proportional to T and to T{sup 9}, respectively. Themore » character of the temperature dependence of the T{sub 1}{sup −1} for the donor electrons of N substituting hexagonal (“h”) site (N{sub h}) in both types of 6H SiC samples indicates that the donor electrons relax through the fast-relaxing centers by means of the cross-relaxation process. The observed enhancement of the phase memory relaxation rate (T{sub m}{sup −1}) with the temperature increase for the N{sub h} donors in both types of the samples, as well as for the N{sub k1,k2} donors in Lely grown 6H SiC, was explained by the growth of the free electron concentration with the temperature increase and their exchange scattering at the N donor centers. The observed significant shortening of the phase memory relaxation time T{sub m} for the N{sub k1,k2} donors in the SSM grown sample with the temperature lowering is caused by hopping motion of the electrons between the occupied and unoccupied states of the N donors at N{sub h} and N{sub k1,k2} sites. The impact of the N donor pairs, triads, distant donor pairs formed in n-type 6H SiC wafers on the spin relaxation times was discussed.« less

  8. Lack of a peroxiredoxin suppresses the lethality of cells devoid of electron donors by channelling electrons to oxidized ribonucleotide reductase.

    PubMed

    Boronat, Susanna; Domènech, Alba; Carmona, Mercè; García-Santamarina, Sarela; Bañó, M Carmen; Ayté, José; Hidalgo, Elena

    2017-06-01

    The thioredoxin and glutaredoxin pathways are responsible of recycling several enzymes which undergo intramolecular disulfide bond formation as part of their catalytic cycles such as the peroxide scavengers peroxiredoxins or the enzyme ribonucleotide reductase (RNR). RNR, the rate-limiting enzyme of deoxyribonucleotide synthesis, is an essential enzyme relying on these electron flow cascades for recycling. RNR is tightly regulated in a cell cycle-dependent manner at different levels, but little is known about the participation of electron donors in such regulation. Here, we show that cytosolic thioredoxins Trx1 and Trx3 are the primary electron donors for RNR in fission yeast. Unexpectedly, trx1 transcript and Trx1 protein levels are up-regulated in a G1-to-S phase-dependent manner, indicating that the supply of electron donors is also cell cycle-regulated. Indeed, genetic depletion of thioredoxins triggers a DNA replication checkpoint ruled by Rad3 and Cds1, with the final goal of up-regulating transcription of S phase genes and constitutive RNR synthesis. Regarding the thioredoxin and glutaredoxin cascades, one combination of gene deletions is synthetic lethal in fission yeast: cells lacking both thioredoxin reductase and cytosolic dithiol glutaredoxin. We have isolated a suppressor of this lethal phenotype: a mutation at the Tpx1-coding gene, leading to a frame shift and a loss-of-function of Tpx1, the main client of electron donors. We propose that in a mutant strain compromised in reducing equivalents, the absence of an abundant and competitive substrate such as the peroxiredoxin Tpx1 has been selected as a lethality suppressor to favor RNR function at the expense of the non-essential peroxide scavenging function, to allow DNA synthesis and cell growth.

  9. Design of butterfly type organic dye sensitizers with double electron donors: The first principle study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Zhenqing; Shao, Di; Li, Juan; Tang, Lian; Shao, Changjin

    2018-05-01

    In this work, we designed a series of butterfly type organic dyes, named ME07-ME13 by introducing such as triphenylamine, phenothiazine, coumarin groups etc. as electron donors and further investigated their absorption spectra using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TDDFT). All designed dyes cover the entire visible absorption spectrum from 300 to 800 nm. It's fascinating that ME13 molecule has two absorption peak and the molar coefficient of two absorption peaks are above 4.645 × 104 M-1·cm-1. The light absorption area of ME13 exhibits an increment of 16.5-19.1% compared to ME07-ME12. Furthermore, we performed a detailed analysis on their geometrical and electronic properties, including molecular structures, energy levels, light harvesting efficiency (LHE), driving force (ΔGinject), regeneration (ΔGregen),electron dipole moments (μnormal), intermolecular electron transfer and dye/(TiO2)38 system electron transitions. The results of calculation reveal that double coumarin donors in ME13 are promising functional groups for butterfly type organic dye sensitizers. It is expected that the design of double donors can provide a new strategy and guidance for the investigation in high efficiency dye-sensitized devices.

  10. Nuclear-driven electron spin rotations in a coupled silicon quantum dot and single donor system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harvey-Collard, Patrick; Jacobson, Noah Tobias; Rudolph, Martin; Ten Eyck, Gregory A.; Wendt, Joel R.; Pluym, Tammy; Lilly, Michael P.; Pioro-Ladrière, Michel; Carroll, Malcolm S.

    Single donors in silicon are very good qubits. However, a central challenge is to couple them to one another. To achieve this, many proposals rely on using a nearby quantum dot (QD) to mediate an interaction. In this work, we demonstrate the coherent coupling of electron spins between a single 31P donor and an enriched 28Si metal-oxide-semiconductor few-electron QD. We show that the electron-nuclear spin interaction can drive coherent rotations between singlet and triplet electron spin states. Moreover, we are able to tune electrically the exchange interaction between the QD and donor electrons. The combination of single-nucleus-driven rotations and voltage-tunable exchange provides all elements for future all-electrical control of a spin qubit, and requires only a single dot and no additional magnetic field gradients. This work was performed, in part, at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, an Office of Science User Facility operated for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. DOE's National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

  11. Two-electron states of a group-V donor in silicon from atomistic full configuration interactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tankasala, Archana; Salfi, Joseph; Bocquel, Juanita; Voisin, Benoit; Usman, Muhammad; Klimeck, Gerhard; Simmons, Michelle Y.; Hollenberg, Lloyd C. L.; Rogge, Sven; Rahman, Rajib

    2018-05-01

    Two-electron states bound to donors in silicon are important for both two-qubit gates and spin readout. We present a full configuration interaction technique in the atomistic tight-binding basis to capture multielectron exchange and correlation effects taking into account the full band structure of silicon and the atomic-scale granularity of a nanoscale device. Excited s -like states of A1 symmetry are found to strongly influence the charging energy of a negative donor center. We apply the technique on subsurface dopants subjected to gate electric fields and show that bound triplet states appear in the spectrum as a result of decreased charging energy. The exchange energy, obtained for the two-electron states in various confinement regimes, may enable engineering electrical control of spins in donor-dot hybrid qubits.

  12. Comparison of lactate, formate, and propionate as hydrogen donors for the reductive dehalogenation of trichloroethene in a continuous-flow column.

    PubMed

    Azizian, Mohammad F; Marshall, Ian P G; Behrens, Sebastian; Spormann, Alfred M; Semprini, Lewis

    2010-04-01

    A continuous-flow column study was conducted to analyze the reductive dehalogenation of trichloroethene (TCE) with aquifer material with high content of iron oxides. The column was bioaugmented with the Point Mugu (PM) culture, which is a mixed microbial enrichment culture capable of completely transforming TCE to ethene (ETH). We determined whether lactate, formate, or propionate fermentation resulted in more effective dehalogenation. Reductive dehalogenation, fermentation, and sulfate, Fe(III), and Mn(IV) reduction were all exhibited within the column. Different steady-states of dehalogenation were achieved based on the concentration of substrates added, with effective transformation to ETH obtained when ample electron donor equivalents were provided. Most of the metabolic reducing equivalents were channeled to sulfate, Fe(III), and Mn(IV) reduction. When similar electron reducing equivalents were added, the most effective dehalogenation was achieved with formate, with 14% of the electron equivalents going towards dehalogenation reactions, compared to 6.5% for lactate and 9.6% for propionate. Effective dehalogenation was maintained over 1000 days of column operation. Over 90% of electron equivalents added could be accounted for by the different electron accepting processes in the column, with 50% associated with soluble and precipitated Fe(II) and Mn(II). Bulk Fe(III) and Mn(IV) reduction was rather associated with lactate and propionate addition than formate addition. Sulfate reduction was a competing electron acceptor reaction with all three electron donors. DNA was extracted from solid coupon samples obtained during the course of the experiment and analyzed using 16S rRNA gene clone libraries and quantitative PCR. Lactate and propionate addition resulted in a significant increase in Geobacter, Spirochaetes, and Desulfitobacterium phylotypes relative to "Dehalococcoides" when compared to formate addition. Results from the molecular biological analyses support

  13. Electron-donor dopant, method of improving conductivity of polymers by doping therewith, and a polymer so treated

    DOEpatents

    Liepins, R.; Aldissi, M.

    1984-07-27

    Polymers with conjugated backbones, both polyacetylene and polyaromatic heterocyclic types, are doped with electron-donor agents to increase their electrical conductivity. The electron-donor agents are either electride dopants made in the presence of lithium or dopants derived from alkalides made in the presence of lithium. The dopants also contain a metal such as cesium and a trapping agent such as a crown ether.

  14. Electron-donor dopant, method of improving conductivity of polymers by doping therewith, and a polymer so treated

    DOEpatents

    Liepins, Raimond; Aldissi, Mahmoud

    1988-01-01

    Polymers with conjugated backbones, both polyacetylene and polyaromatic heterocyclic types, are doped with electron-donor agents to increase their electrical conductivity. The electron-donor agents are either electride dopants made in the presence of lithium or dopants derived from alkalides made in the presence of lithium. The dopants also contain a metal such as cesium and a trapping agent such as a crown ether.

  15. Theoretical study of solvent effects on the electronic coupling matrix elements in rigidly linked donor-acceptor systems

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cave, R.J.; Newton, M.D.; Kumar, K.

    1995-12-07

    The recently developed generalized Mulliken-Hush approach for the calculation of the electronic coupling matrix element for electron-transfer processes is applied to two rigidly linked donor-bridge-acceptor systems having dimethoxyanthracene as the donor and a dicarbomethoxycyclobutene unit as the acceptor. The dependence of the electronic coupling matrix element as a function of bridge type is examined with and without solvent molecules present. For clamp-shaped bridge structures solvent can have a dramatic effect on the electronic coupling matrix element. The behavior with variation of solvent is in good agreement with that observed experimentally for these systems. 23 refs., 2 tabs.

  16. Heterogeneous semiconductor photocatalysts for hydrogen production from aqueous solutions of electron donors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kozlova, E. A.; Parmon, V. N.

    2017-09-01

    Current views on heterogeneous photocatalysts for visible- and near-UV-light-driven production of molecular hydrogen from water and aqueous solutions of inorganic and organic electron donors are analyzed and summarized. Main types of such photocatalysts and methods for their preparation are considered. Particular attention is paid to semiconductor photocatalysts based on sulfides that are known to be sensitive to visible light. The known methods for increasing the quantum efficiency of the target process are discussed, including design of the structure, composition and texture of semiconductor photocatalysts and variation of the medium pH and the substrate and photocatalyst concentrations. Some important aspects of the activation and deactivation of sulfide photocatalysts and the evolution of their properties in the course of hydrogen production processes in the presence of various types of electron donors are analyzed. The bibliography includes 276 references.

  17. Enhanced reduction of an azo dye using henna plant biomass as a solid-phase electron donor, carbon source, and redox mediator.

    PubMed

    Huang, Jingang; Chu, Shushan; Chen, Jianjun; Chen, Yi; Xie, Zhengmiao

    2014-06-01

    The multiple effects of henna plant biomass as a source of carbon, electron donor, and redox mediator (RM) on the enhanced bio-reduction of Orange II (AO7) were investigated. The results indicated that the maximum AO7 reduction rate in the culture with henna powder was ∼6-fold that in the sludge control culture lacking henna. On the one hand, AO7 reduction can be advantageously enhanced by the release of available electron donors; on the other hand, the associated lawsone can act as a fixed RM and play a potential role in shuttling electrons from the released electron donors to the final electron acceptor, AO7. The soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) during each experiment and the FTIR spectra suggested that the weakened AO7 reduction along with the retention of henna powder might not be attributed to the lack of fixed lawsone but rather to the insufficiency of electron donors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Implanted bismuth donors in 28-Si: Process development and electron spin resonance measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weis, C. D.; Lo, C. C.; Lang, V.; George, R. E.; Tyryshkin, A. M.; Bokor, J.; Lyon, S. A.; Morton, J. J. L.; Schenkel, T.

    2012-02-01

    Spins of donor atoms in silicon are excellent qubit candidates. Isotope engineered substrates provide a nuclear spin free host environment, resulting in long spin coherence times [1,2]. The capability of swapping quantum information between electron and nuclear spins can enable quantum communication and gate operation via the electron spin and quantum memory via the nuclear spin [2]. Spin properties of donor qubit candidates in silicon have been studied mostly for phosphorous and antimony [1-3]. Bismuth donors in silicon exhibit a zero field splitting of 7.4 GHz and have attracted attention as potential nuclear spin memory and spin qubit candidates [4,5] that could be coupled to superconducting resonators [4,6]. We report on progress in the formation of bismuth doped 28-Si epi layers by ion implantation, electrical dopant activation and their study via pulsed electron spin resonance measurements showing narrow linewidths and good coherence times. [4pt] [1] A. M. Tyryshkin, et al. arXiv: 1105.3772 [2] J. J. L. Morton, et al. Nature (2008) [3] T. Schenkel, et al APL 2006; F. R. Bradbury, et al. PRL (2006) [4] R. E. George, et al. PRL (2010) [5] G. W. Morley, et al. Nat Mat (2010) [6] M. Hatridge, et al. PRB (2011), R. Vijay, et al. APL (2010) This work was supported by NSA (100000080295) and DOE (DE-AC02-05CH11231).

  19. Electron donor concentrations in sediments and sediment properties at the agricultural chemicals team research site near New Providence, Iowa, 2006-07

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Maharjan, Bijesh; Korom, Scott F.; Smith, Erik A.

    2013-01-01

    The concentrations of electron donors in aquifer sediments are important to the understanding of the fate and transport of redox-sensitive constituents in groundwater, such as nitrate. For a study by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program, 50 sediment samples were collected from below the water table from 11 boreholes at the U.S. Geological Survey Agricultural Chemicals Team research site near New Providence, Iowa, during 2006-07. All samples were analyzed for gravel, sand (coarse, medium, and fine), silt, clay, Munsell soil color, inorganic carbon content, and for the following electron donors: organic carbon, ferrous iron, and inorganic sulfide. A subset of 14 sediment samples also was analyzed for organic sulfur, but all of these samples had concentrations less than the method detection limit; therefore, the presence of this potential electron donor was not considered further. X-ray diffraction analyses provided important semi-quantitative information of well-crystallized dominant minerals within the sediments that might be contributing electron donors.

  20. Electronic states and optical properties of single donor in GaN conical quantum dot with spherical edge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    El Aouami, A.; Feddi, E.; El-Yadri, M.; Aghoutane, N.; Dujardin, F.; Duque, C. A.; Phuc, Huynh Vinh

    2018-02-01

    In this paper we present a theoretical investigation of quantum confinement effects on the electron and single donor states in GaN conical quantum dot with spherical edge. In the framework of the effective mass approximation, the Schrödinger equations of electron and donor have been solved analytically in an infinite potential barrier model. Our calculations show that the energies of electron and donor impurity are affected by the two characteristic parameters of the structure which are the angle Ω and the radial dimension R. We show that, despite the fact that the reduction of the two parameters Ω and R leads to the same confinement effects, the energy remains very sensitive to the variation of the radial part than the variation of the angular part. The analysis of the photoionization cross-section corresponding to optical transitions between the conduction band and the first donor energy level shows clearly that the reduction of the radius R causes a shift in resonance peaks towards the high energies. On the other hand, the optical transitions between 1 s - 1 p , 1 p - 1 d and 1 p - 2 s show that the increment of the conical aperture Ω (or reduction of R) implies a displacement of the excitation energy to higher energies.

  1. Solicited kidney donors: Are they coerced?

    PubMed

    Serur, David; Bretzlaff, Gretchen; Christos, Paul; Desrosiers, Farrah; Charlton, Marian

    2015-12-01

    Most non-directed donors (NDDs) decide to donate on their own and contact the transplant centre directly. Some NDDs decide to donate in response to community solicitation such as newspaper ads or donor drives. We wished to explore whether subtle coercion might be occurring in such NDDs who are part of a larger community. One successful organization in a community in Brooklyn, NY, provides about 50 NDDs per year for recipients within that community. The donors answer ads in local papers and attend donor drives. Herein, we evaluated the physical and emotional outcomes of community-solicited NDDs in comparison to traditional NDDs who come from varied communities and are not responding to a specific call for donation. An assessment of coercion was used as well. © 2015 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.

  2. Photoinduced electron transfer interaction of anthraquinones with aniline quenchers: Influence of methyl substitution in aniline donors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sivakumar, V.; Ponnamma, Deepalekshmi; Hussein, Yasser H. A.

    2017-02-01

    Photoinduced electron transfer between triplet state of 9,10-anthraquinone (AQ) and its two derivatives: 2-chloro-9,10-anthraquinone (CAQ) and sodium anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQS) and ground state aniline (AN) and its dimethyl substitutions: 2,3-dimethylaniline (2,3-DMA), 2,6-dimethylaniline (2,6-DMA), 3,5-dimethylaniline (3,5-DMA) and N,N-dimethylaniline (N,N-DMA) is studied using nanosecond laser flash photolysis at room temperature. Detection of radical bands of quinone anions and aniline cations along with their formation and/or decay kinetics are used to confirm the electron transfer (ET) process. In MeCN medium, AN quenches the triplet state of CAQ (CAQT) but not the triplets AQT or AQST. However in aqueous medium, AN quenches AQST and forms radical ion pair. All the DMAs can react through ET with all the triplet quinones at different degrees of efficiency in MeCN medium. Noticeably, the ring substituted DMAs are less efficient in electron donation to AQT or AQST while the N,N-DMA shows high efficiency in donating electron to all triplet quinones in MeCN medium. Charge distribution of donor molecules, in MeCN medium is calculated using density functional theory (DFT), and shows an enhancement of electron density of the ring of N,N-DMA, making it an ideal electron donor for ET studies compared to other DMAs. This systematic selection and usage of anilines with electrochemically tunable quinones can be viewed as a working model of donor-acceptor system that can be utilized in photoinduced ET applications.

  3. Organic photovoltaic cells based on unconventional electron donor fullerene and electron acceptor copper hexadecafluorophthalocyanine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, J. L.; Sullivan, P.; Schumann, S.; Hancox, I.; Jones, T. S.

    2012-01-01

    We demonstrate organic discrete heterojunction photovoltaic cells based on fullerene (C60) and copper hexadecafluorophthalocyanine (F16CuPc), in which the C60 and F16CuPc act as the electron donor and the electron acceptor, respectively. The C60/F16CuPc cells fabricated with conventional and inverted architectures both exhibit comparable power conversion efficiencies. Furthermore, we show that the photocurrent in both cells is generated by a conventional exciton dissociation mechanism rather than the exciton recombination mechanism recently proposed for a similar C60/F16ZnPc system [Song et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 132, 4554 (2010)]. These results demonstrate that new unconventional material systems are a potential way to fabricate organic photovoltaic cells with inverted as well as conventional architectures.

  4. Photoinduced electron transfer in rigidly linked dimethoxynapthalene-N-methylpyridinium donor-acceptor molecules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clayton, Andrew H. A.; Ghiggino, Kenneth P.; Wilson, Gerard J.; Keyte, Peter J.; Paddon-Row, Michael N.

    1992-07-01

    Photoinduced electron transfer (ET) is studied in a series of novel molecules containing a dimethoxynaphthalene (DMN) donor and either a pyridine (P) or N-methylpyridinium (P-Me +) acceptor covalently linked via a rigid nonbornalogous bridge ( n sigma bonds in length). ET rates of the order of 10 10 s -1 were measured for the DMN- n-P-Me + series ( n = 4, 6), while no appreciable ET was observed for the DMN- n-P compounds. Electronic and nuclear factors are discussed and the results rationalized in terms of Marcus—Hush and non-adiabatic ET theories.

  5. Tumor cell membrane-targeting pH-dependent electron donor-acceptor fluorescence systems with low background signals.

    PubMed

    Han, Liang; Liu, Mingming; Ye, Deyong; Zhang, Ning; Lim, Ed; Lu, Jing; Jiang, Chen

    2014-03-01

    Minimizing the background signal is crucial for developing tumor-imaging techniques with sufficient specificity and sensitivity. Here we use pH difference between healthy tissues and tumor and tumor targeting delivery to achieve this goal. We synthesize fluorophore-dopamine conjugate as pH-dependent electron donor-acceptor fluorescence system. Fluorophores are highly sensitive to electron-transfer processes, which can alter their optical properties. The intrinsic redox properties of dopamine are oxidation of hydroquinone to quinone at basic pH and reduction of quinone to hydroquinone at acidic pH. Quinone can accept electron then quench fluorescence. We design tumor cell membrane-targeting carrier for delivery. We demonstrate quenched fluorophore-quinone can be specially transferred to tumor extracellular environment and tumor-accumulated fluorophore can be activated by acidic pH. These tumor-targeting pH-dependent electron donor-acceptor fluorescence systems may offer new opportunity for developing tumor-imaging techniques. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Algae as an electron donor promoting sulfate reduction for the bioremediation of acid rock drainage.

    PubMed

    Ayala-Parra, Pedro; Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes; Field, Jim A

    2016-11-05

    This study assessed bioremediation of acid rock drainage in simulated permeable reactive barriers (PRB) using algae, Chlorella sorokiniana, as the sole electron donor for sulfate-reducing bacteria. Lipid extracted algae (LEA), the residues of biodiesel production, were compared with whole cell algae (WCA) as an electron donor to promote sulfate-reducing activity. Inoculated columns containing anaerobic granular sludge were fed a synthetic medium containing H2SO4 and Cu(2+). Sulfate, sulfide, Cu(2+) and pH were monitored throughout the experiment of 123d. Cu recovered in the column packing at the end of the experiment was evaluated using sequential extraction. Both WCA and LEA promoted 80% of sulfate removal (12.7mg SO4(2-) d(-1)) enabling near complete Cu removal (>99.5%) and alkalinity generation raising the effluent pH to 6.5. No noteworthy sulfate reduction, alkalinity formation and Cu(2+) removal were observed in the endogenous control. In algae amended-columns, Cu(2+) was precipitated with biogenic H2S produced by sulfate reduction. Formation of CuS was evidenced by sequential extraction and X-ray diffraction. LEA and WCA provided similar levels of electron donor based on the COD balance. The results demonstrate an innovative passive remediation system using residual algae biomass from the biodiesel industry. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Absence of beta-amyloid in cortical cataracts of donors with and without Alzheimer's disease.

    PubMed

    Michael, Ralph; Rosandić, Jurja; Montenegro, Gustavo A; Lobato, Elvira; Tresserra, Francisco; Barraquer, Rafael I; Vrensen, Gijs F J M

    2013-01-01

    Eye lenses from human donors with and without Alzheimer's disease (AD) were studied to evaluate the presence of amyloid in cortical cataract. We obtained 39 lenses from 21 postmortem donors with AD and 15 lenses from age-matched controls provided by the Banco de Ojos para Tratamientos de la Ceguera (Barcelona, Spain). For 17 donors, AD was clinically diagnosed by general physicians and for 4 donors the AD diagnosis was neuropathologically confirmed. Of the 21 donors with AD, 6 had pronounced bilateral cortical lens opacities and 15 only minor or no cortical opacities. As controls, 7 donors with pronounced cortical opacities and 8 donors with almost transparent lenses were selected. All lenses were photographed in a dark field stereomicroscope. Histological sections were analyzed using a standard and a more sensitive Congo red protocol, thioflavin staining and beta-amyloid immunohistochemistry. Brain tissue from two donors, one with cerebral amyloid angiopathy and another with advanced AD-related changes and one cornea with lattice dystrophy were used as positive controls for the staining techniques. Thioflavin, standard and modified Congo red staining were positive in the control brain tissues and in the dystrophic cornea. Beta-amyloid immunohistochemistry was positive in the brain tissues but not in the cornea sample. Lenses from control and AD donors were, without exception, negative after Congo red, thioflavin, and beta-amyloid immunohistochemical staining. The results of the positive control tissues correspond well with known observations in AD, amyloid angiopathy and corneas with lattice dystrophy. The absence of staining in AD and control lenses with the techniques employed lead us to conclude that there is no beta-amyloid in lenses from donors with AD or in control cortical cataracts. The inconsistency with previous studies of Goldstein et al. (2003) and Moncaster et al. (2010), both of which demonstrated positive Congo red, thioflavin, and beta

  8. Photoinduced electron transfer interaction of anthraquinones with aniline quenchers: Influence of methyl substitution in aniline donors.

    PubMed

    Sivakumar, V; Ponnamma, Deepalekshmi; Hussein, Yasser H A

    2017-02-15

    Photoinduced electron transfer between triplet state of 9,10-anthraquinone (AQ) and its two derivatives: 2-chloro-9,10-anthraquinone (CAQ) and sodium anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQS) and ground state aniline (AN) and its dimethyl substitutions: 2,3-dimethylaniline (2,3-DMA), 2,6-dimethylaniline (2,6-DMA), 3,5-dimethylaniline (3,5-DMA) and N,N-dimethylaniline (N,N-DMA) is studied using nanosecond laser flash photolysis at room temperature. Detection of radical bands of quinone anions and aniline cations along with their formation and/or decay kinetics are used to confirm the electron transfer (ET) process. In MeCN medium, AN quenches the triplet state of CAQ (CAQ T ) but not the triplets AQ T or AQS T . However in aqueous medium, AN quenches AQS T and forms radical ion pair. All the DMAs can react through ET with all the triplet quinones at different degrees of efficiency in MeCN medium. Noticeably, the ring substituted DMAs are less efficient in electron donation to AQ T or AQS T while the N,N-DMA shows high efficiency in donating electron to all triplet quinones in MeCN medium. Charge distribution of donor molecules, in MeCN medium is calculated using density functional theory (DFT), and shows an enhancement of electron density of the ring of N,N-DMA, making it an ideal electron donor for ET studies compared to other DMAs. This systematic selection and usage of anilines with electrochemically tunable quinones can be viewed as a working model of donor-acceptor system that can be utilized in photoinduced ET applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Estimation of electronic coupling in π-stacked donor-bridge-acceptor systems: Correction of the two-state model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Voityuk, Alexander A.

    2006-02-01

    Comparison of donor-acceptor electronic couplings calculated within two-state and three-state models suggests that the two-state treatment can provide unreliable estimates of Vda because of neglecting the multistate effects. We show that in most cases accurate values of the electronic coupling in a π stack, where donor and acceptor are separated by a bridging unit, can be obtained as Ṽda=(E2-E1)μ12/Rda+(2E3-E1-E2)2μ13μ23/Rda2, where E1, E2, and E3 are adiabatic energies of the ground, charge-transfer, and bridge states, respectively, μij is the transition dipole moments between the states i and j, and Rda is the distance between the planes of donor and acceptor. In this expression based on the generalized Mulliken-Hush approach, the first term corresponds to the coupling derived within a two-state model, whereas the second term is the superexchange correction accounting for the bridge effect. The formula is extended to bridges consisting of several subunits. The influence of the donor-acceptor energy mismatch on the excess charge distribution, adiabatic dipole and transition moments, and electronic couplings is examined. A diagnostic is developed to determine whether the two-state approach can be applied. Based on numerical results, we showed that the superexchange correction considerably improves estimates of the donor-acceptor coupling derived within a two-state approach. In most cases when the two-state scheme fails, the formula gives reliable results which are in good agreement (within 5%) with the data of the three-state generalized Mulliken-Hush model.

  10. Estimation of electronic coupling in pi-stacked donor-bridge-acceptor systems: correction of the two-state model.

    PubMed

    Voityuk, Alexander A

    2006-02-14

    Comparison of donor-acceptor electronic couplings calculated within two-state and three-state models suggests that the two-state treatment can provide unreliable estimates of V(da) because of neglecting the multistate effects. We show that in most cases accurate values of the electronic coupling in a pi stack, where donor and acceptor are separated by a bridging unit, can be obtained as V(da) = (E(2)-E(1))mu(12)R(da) + (2E(3)-E(1)-E(2))2mu(13)mu(23)R(da) (2), where E(1), E(2), and E(3) are adiabatic energies of the ground, charge-transfer, and bridge states, respectively, mu(ij) is the transition dipole moments between the states i and j, and R(da) is the distance between the planes of donor and acceptor. In this expression based on the generalized Mulliken-Hush approach, the first term corresponds to the coupling derived within a two-state model, whereas the second term is the superexchange correction accounting for the bridge effect. The formula is extended to bridges consisting of several subunits. The influence of the donor-acceptor energy mismatch on the excess charge distribution, adiabatic dipole and transition moments, and electronic couplings is examined. A diagnostic is developed to determine whether the two-state approach can be applied. Based on numerical results, we showed that the superexchange correction considerably improves estimates of the donor-acceptor coupling derived within a two-state approach. In most cases when the two-state scheme fails, the formula gives reliable results which are in good agreement (within 5%) with the data of the three-state generalized Mulliken-Hush model.

  11. Donor acceptor electronic couplings in π-stacks: How many states must be accounted for?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Voityuk, Alexander A.

    2006-04-01

    Two-state model is commonly used to estimate the donor-acceptor electronic coupling Vda for electron transfer. However, in some important cases, e.g. for DNA π-stacks, this scheme fails to provide accurate values of Vda because of multistate effects. The Generalized Mulliken-Hush method enables a multistate treatment of Vda. In this Letter, we analyze the dependence of calculated electronic couplings on the number of the adiabatic states included in the model. We suggest a simple scheme to determine this number. The superexchange correction of the two-state approximation is shown to provide good estimates of the electronic coupling.

  12. Ad Integrum Functional and Volumetric Recovery in Right Lobe Living Donors: Is It Really Complete 1 Year After Donor Hepatectomy?

    PubMed

    Duclos, J; Bhangui, P; Salloum, C; Andreani, P; Saliba, F; Ichai, P; Elmaleh, A; Castaing, D; Azoulay, D

    2016-01-01

    The partial liver's ability to regenerate both as a graft and remnant justifies right lobe (RL) living donor liver transplantation. We studied (using biochemical and radiological parameters) the rate, extent of, and predictors of functional and volumetric recovery of the remnant left liver (RLL) during the first year in 91 consecutive RL donors. Recovery of normal liver function (prothrombin time [PT] ≥70% of normal and total bilirubin [TB] ≤20 µmol/L), liver volumetric recovery, and percentage RLL growth were analyzed. Normal liver function was regained by postoperative day's 7, 30, and 365 in 52%, 86%, and 96% donors, respectively. Similarly, mean liver volumetric recovery was 64%, 71%, and 85%; whereas the percentage liver growth was 85%, 105%, and 146%, respectively. Preoperative PT value (p = 0.01), RLL/total liver volume (TLV) ratio (p = 0.03), middle hepatic vein harvesting (p = 0.02), and postoperative peak TB (p < 0.01) were predictors of early functional recovery, whereas donor age (p = 0.03), RLL/TLV ratio (p = 0.004), and TLV/ body weight ratio (p = 0.02) predicted early volumetric recuperation. One-year post-RL donor hepatectomy, though functional recovery occurs in almost all (96%), donors had incomplete restoration (85%) of preoperative total liver volume. Modifiable predictors of regeneration could help in better and safer donor selection, while continuing to ensure successful recipient outcomes. © Copyright 2015 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  13. Enhanced biodegradation of hexachlorocyclohexane in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor using methanol as an electron donor.

    PubMed

    Bhatt, Praveena; Kumar, M Suresh; Mudliar, Sandeep; Chakrabarti, Tapan

    2008-05-01

    Anaerobic dechlorination of technical grade hexachlorocyclohexane (THCH) was studied in a continuous upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor with methanol as a supplementary substrate and electron donor. A reactor without methanol served as the experimental control. The inlet feed concentration of THCH in both the experimental and the control UASB reactor was 100 mg l(-1). After 60 days of continuous operation, the removal of THCH was >99% in the methanol-supplemented reactor as compared to 20-35% in the control reactor. THCH was completely dechlorinated in the methanol fed reactor at 48 h HRT after 2 months of continuous operation. This period was also accompanied by increase in biomass in the reactor, which was not observed in the experimental control. Batch studies using other supplementary substrates as well as electron donors namely acetate, butyrate, formate and ethanol showed lower % dechlorination (<85%) and dechlorination rates (<3 mg g(-1)d(-1)) as compared to methanol (98%, 5 mg g(-1)d(-1)). The optimum concentration of methanol required, for stable dechlorination of THCH (100 mg l(-1)) in the UASB reactor, was found to be 500 mg l(-1). Results indicate that addition of methanol as electron donor enhances dechlorination of THCH at high inlet concentration, and is also required for stable UASB reactor performance.

  14. Gradient ascent pulse engineering approach to CNOT gates in donor electron spin quantum computing

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tsai, D.-B.; Goan, H.-S.

    2008-11-07

    In this paper, we demonstrate how gradient ascent pulse engineering (GRAPE) optimal control methods can be implemented on donor electron spin qubits in semiconductors with an architecture complementary to the original Kane's proposal. We focus on the high fidelity controlled-NOT (CNOT) gate and we explicitly find the digitized control sequences for a controlled-NOT gate by optimizing its fidelity using the effective, reduced donor electron spin Hamiltonian with external controls over the hyperfine A and exchange J interactions. We then simulate the CNOT-gate sequence with the full spin Hamiltonian and find that it has an error of 10{sup -6} that ismore » below the error threshold of 10{sup -4} required for fault-tolerant quantum computation. Also the CNOT gate operation time of 100 ns is 3 times faster than 297 ns of the proposed global control scheme.« less

  15. High-Fidelity Rapid Initialization and Read-Out of an Electron Spin via the Single Donor D(-) Charge State.

    PubMed

    Watson, T F; Weber, B; House, M G; Büch, H; Simmons, M Y

    2015-10-16

    We demonstrate high-fidelity electron spin read-out of a precision placed single donor in silicon via spin selective tunneling to either the D(+) or D(-) charge state of the donor. By performing read-out at the stable two electron D(0)↔D(-) charge transition we can increase the tunnel rates to a nearby single electron transistor charge sensor by nearly 2 orders of magnitude, allowing faster qubit read-out (1 ms) with minimum loss in read-out fidelity (98.4%) compared to read-out at the D(+)↔D(0) transition (99.6%). Furthermore, we show that read-out via the D(-) charge state can be used to rapidly initialize the electron spin qubit in its ground state with a fidelity of F(I)=99.8%.

  16. Understanding the Charge Transfer at the Interface of Electron Donors and Acceptors: TTF–TCNQ as an Example

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Park, Changwon; Atalla, Viktor; Smith, Sean

    Charge transfer between an electron donor and an electron acceptor is widely accepted as being independent of their relative configurations if the interaction between them is weak; however, the limit of this concept for an interacting system has not yet been well established. Our study of prototypical electron donor–acceptor molecules, tetrathiafulvalene–tetracyanoquinodimethane, using density functional theory based on an advanced functional, clearly demonstrates that for interacting molecules, their configurational arrangement is as important as their individual electronic properties in the asymptotic limit to determine the charge transfer direction. For the first time, we demonstrate that by changing their relative orientation, onemore » can reverse the charge transfer direction of the pair, causing the molecules to exchange roles as donor and acceptor. In conclusion, our theory has important implications for understanding the interfacial charge-transfer mechanism of hybrid systems and related phenomena.« less

  17. Understanding the Charge Transfer at the Interface of Electron Donors and Acceptors: TTF–TCNQ as an Example

    DOE PAGES

    Park, Changwon; Atalla, Viktor; Smith, Sean; ...

    2017-06-16

    Charge transfer between an electron donor and an electron acceptor is widely accepted as being independent of their relative configurations if the interaction between them is weak; however, the limit of this concept for an interacting system has not yet been well established. Our study of prototypical electron donor–acceptor molecules, tetrathiafulvalene–tetracyanoquinodimethane, using density functional theory based on an advanced functional, clearly demonstrates that for interacting molecules, their configurational arrangement is as important as their individual electronic properties in the asymptotic limit to determine the charge transfer direction. For the first time, we demonstrate that by changing their relative orientation, onemore » can reverse the charge transfer direction of the pair, causing the molecules to exchange roles as donor and acceptor. In conclusion, our theory has important implications for understanding the interfacial charge-transfer mechanism of hybrid systems and related phenomena.« less

  18. Increasing Saturated Electron-Drift Velocity in Donor-Acceptor Doped pHEMT Heterostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Protasov, D. Yu.; Gulyaev, D. V.; Bakarov, A. K.; Toropov, A. I.; Erofeev, E. V.; Zhuravlev, K. S.

    2018-03-01

    Field dependences of the electron-drift velocity in typical pseudomorphic high-electron-mobility transistor (pHEMT) heteroepitaxial structures (HESs) and in those with donor-acceptor doped (DApHEMT) heterostructures with quantum-well (QW) depth increased by 0.8-0.9 eV with the aid of acceptor layers have been studied by a pulsed technique. It is established that the saturated electron-drift velocity in DA-pHEMT-HESs is 1.2-1.3 times greater than that in the usual pHEMT-HESs. The electroluminescence (EL) spectra of DA-pHEMT-HESs do not contain emission bands related to the recombination in widebandgap layers (QW barriers). The EL intensity in these HESs is not saturated with increasing electric field. This is indicative of a suppressed real-space transfer of hot electrons from QW to barrier layers, which accounts for the observed increase in the saturated electron-drift velocity.

  19. Characterization of U(VI) reduction in contaminated sediments with slow-degrading electron donor source

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, W.; Watson, D. B.; Zhang, G.; Mehlhorn, T.; Lowe, K.; Earles, J.; Phillips, J.; Kelly, S. D.; Boyanov, M.; Kemner, K. M.; Schadt, C.; Criddle, C. S.; Jardine, P. M.; Brooks, S. C.

    2011-12-01

    In order to select sustainable, high efficiency and cost effective electron donor source, oleate and emulsified vegetable oil (EVO) were tested uranium (VI) reduction in comparison with ethanol in microcosms using uranium contaminated sediments and groundwater from the US DOE Oak Ridge Integrated Field Research Challenge (ORIFRC) site. The effect of initial sulfate concentration on U(VI) reduction was also tested. Both oleate and EVO were effective electron donor sources for U(VI) reduction. Accumulation of acetate as a major product and the removal of aqueous U(VI) were observed and were associated with sulfate reduction. Both oleate and EVO supported U(VI) reduction but at slower rates with a comparable but slightly lower extent of reduction than ethanol. X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) analysis confirmed reduction of U(VI) to U(IV). The extent of U(VI) reduction in solid phase was negatively influenced by aqueous calcium concentration. The majority of electrons of the three substrates were consumed by sulfate reduction, Fe(III) reduction, and methanogenesis. Initial U(VI) concentration in the aqueous phase increased with increased sulfate concentration (1 versus 5 mM), likely due to U(VI) desorption from the solid phase. At the higher initial sulfate concentration more U(VI) was reduced and fewer electrons were used in methanogenesis. Analysis of bacterial and archeal populations using 16S rRNA gene libraries showed a significant increase in Deltaproteobacteria after biostimulation. The microbial community structures developed with oleate and EVO were significantly distinct from those developed with ethanol. Bacteria similar to Desulforegula spp. was predominant for oleate and EVO degradation but were not observed in ethanol-amended microcosms. Known U(VI)-reducing bacteria in the microcosms amended with the three electron donor sources included iron(III) reducing Geobacter spp. but in lower abundances than sulfate-reducing Desulfovibrio spp. The

  20. Anonymous or identity-registered sperm donors? A study of Dutch recipients' choices.

    PubMed

    Brewaeys, A; de Bruyn, J K; Louwe, L A; Helmerhorst, F M

    2005-03-01

    The aim of the present study was to gain insight into parents' own donor preferences within a system offering the choice between an anonymous and identity-registered donor. A comparison was made between recipients choosing for an anonymous donor (AD choosers) and those choosing for an identifiable donor (ID choosers) with regard to their sexual orientation, demographic characteristics, disclosure issues and infertility distress. Data from 105 couples (61% heterosexual, 39% lesbian) were registered on a standardized form during implication counselling sessions previous to treatment. Sixty-three per cent of the heterosexual couples and 98% of the lesbian couples had chosen an ID donor. Major differences between ID and AD choosers were identified. Among the ID choosers secrecy towards the child was no option, whereas 83% of the AD choosers did not intend to inform their child. Compared with heterosexual ID choosers, AD choosers were more distressed about their infertility and had a lower educational level. Legislation imposing ID donors appears to be acceptable for the majority of this study population. For a vulnerable group of heterosexual couples, who remained secretive about the use of a donor, adaptation to the new system is not self-evident.

  1. [KEEPING THE ELECTRON-DONOR PROPERTIES OF DRINKING WATER].

    PubMed

    Gibert, K K; Stekhin, A A; Iakovleva, G V; Sul'ina, Iu S

    2015-01-01

    In a study there was performed the experimental evaluation of long-term structural--physical changes of the phase of associated water in drinking water treated in hypomagnetic conditions according to the the technology providing the retention of of ortho/para isomers of water in the presence of a catalyst--triplet oxygen. According to the results of measurements ofparameters of nano-associates formed in the water there was found a series ofconsistencies, allowing to determine the mechanisms of the impact of hypomagnetic treatment on the catalytic properties ofwater and long-term stability of its activated state, that provides the long-term maintenance of high biological activity of drinking water. In particular, under hypomagnetic conditions of the treatment there is formed denser packing of amorphous ice--VI in the composition of associates peroxide, serving as a kind of "reservoir" of atmospheric gases. In such a "reservoir" there realized higher pressure, compared with normal geophysical conditions, that stimulates the gas-phase reactions with the formation of dimers and trimers of oxygen existing in the 2-electron--active configurations with binding energies of 0.3 eVand ~0.2 eV providing phase modulation, resulting in condensation of environment additional electrons on paramagnetic oxygen, which provides the long-term maintenance of the electron--donor ability of water and electrically non-equilibrium state.

  2. Donor states in inverse opals

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mahan, G. D.

    We calculate the binding energy of an electron bound to a donor in a semiconductor inverse opal. Inverse opals have two kinds of cavities, which we call octahedral and tetrahedral, according to their group symmetry. We put the donor in the center of each of these two cavities and obtain the binding energy. The binding energies become very large when the inverse opal is made from templates with small spheres. For spheres less than 50 nm in diameter, the donor binding can increase to several times its unconfined value. Then electrons become tightly bound to the donor and are unlikelymore » to be thermally activated to the semiconductor conduction band. This conclusion suggests that inverse opals will be poor conductors.« less

  3. Influence of Bicarbonate, Sulfate, and Electron Donors on Biological reduction of Uranium and Microbial Community Composition

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Luo, Wensui; Zhou, Jizhong; Wu, Weimin

    2007-01-01

    A microcosm study was performed to investigate the effect of ethanol and acetate on uranium(VI) biological reduction and microbial community changes under various geochemical conditions. Each microcosm contained an uranium-contaminated sediment (up to 2.8 g U/kg) suspended in buffer with bicarbonate at concentrations of either 1 mM or 40 mM and sulfate at either 1.1 or 3.2 mM. Ethanol or acetate was used as an electron donor. Results indicate that ethanol yielded in significantly higher U(VI) reduction rates than acetate. A low bicarbonate concentration (1 mM) was favored for U(VI) bioreduction to occur in sediments, but high concentrations of bicarbonatemore » (40 mM) and sulfate (3.2 mM) decreased the reduction rates of U(VI). Microbial communities were dominated by species from the Geothrix genus and Proteobacteria phylum in all microcosms. However, species in the Geobacteraceae family capable of reducing U(VI) were significantly enriched by ethanol and acetate in low bicarbonate buffer. Ethanol increased the population of unclassified Desulfuromonales, while acetate increased the population of Desulfovibrio. Additionally, species in the Geobacteraceae family were not enriched in high bicarbonate buffer, but the Geothrix and the unclassified Betaproteobacteria species were enriched. This study concludes that ethanol could be a better electron donor than acetate for reducing U(VI) under given experimental conditions, and electron donor and geoundwater geochemistry alter microbial communities responsible for U(VI) reduction.« less

  4. U(VI) bioreduction with emulsified vegetable oil as the electron donor--model application to a field test.

    PubMed

    Tang, Guoping; Watson, David B; Wu, Wei-Min; Schadt, Christopher W; Parker, Jack C; Brooks, Scott C

    2013-04-02

    We amended a shallow fast-flowing uranium (U) contaminated aquifer with emulsified vegetable oil (EVO) and subsequently monitored the biogeochemical responses for over a year. Using a biogeochemical model developed in a companion article (Tang et al., Environ. Sci. Technol.2013, doi: 10.1021/es304641b) based on microcosm tests, we simulated geochemical and microbial dynamics in the field test during and after the 2-h EVO injection. When the lab-determined parameters were applied in the field-scale simulation, the estimated rate coefficient for EVO hydrolysis in the field was about 1 order of magnitude greater than that in the microcosms. Model results suggested that precipitation of long-chain fatty acids, produced from EVO hydrolysis, with Ca in the aquifer created a secondary long-term electron donor source. The model predicted substantial accumulation of denitrifying and sulfate-reducing bacteria, and U(IV) precipitates. The accumulation was greatest near the injection wells and along the lateral boundaries of the treatment zone where electron donors mixed with electron acceptors in the groundwater. While electron acceptors such as sulfate were generally considered to compete with U(VI) for electrons, this work highlighted their role in providing electron acceptors for microorganisms to degrade complex substrates thereby enhancing U(VI) reduction and immobilization.

  5. Donors' blood group declaration before donation can be used as a tool for electronic crossmatching.

    PubMed

    Arslan, O

    2005-12-01

    Electronic crossmatching (E-XM) is used to detect ABO incompatibility. In developing countries, as many of the donations are from first-time donors, it is difficult to guarantee the accuracy of the ABO/Rh label on these units to use them for E-XM. This problem was overcome with a new software 'hemosoft', using donors' blood group declaration before donation as a tool for E-XM. During registration, donors either declare their blood group or give no comment. For, ABO/Rh grouping, either two results from different donations or only one in concordant with the declaration before donation is needed. If there is a conflict, second typing is performed from the unit segment. If donors give no declaration, two different technicians perform typing, one from the sample tube and the other from the unit segment. Of 18,618 donations performed, 640 (3%) were repeated and the rest were first-time donations. In 16,327, typing was performed once, as the blood group declaration and the typing results were identical. In 2407, grouping was performed twice, as donors gave no declaration or conflicts between declaration and typing results were found. No labelling or wrong unit-release errors were detected in units donated, typed and labelled in our centre. In 26,402 donations, 16,314 (61.8%) E-XMs were performed. No major haemolytic transfusion reaction was recorded. Donors' ABO/Rh declaration before donation can be used as a tool for E-XM, instead of the requirement for serological confirmation or a second donation to guarantee grouping.

  6. The separation distance distribution in electron-donor-acceptor systems and the wavelength dependence of free ion yields

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Jinwei; Findley, Bret R.; Braun, Charles L.; Sutin, Norman

    2001-06-01

    We recently reported that free radical ion quantum yields for electron-donor-acceptor (EDA) systems of alkylbenzenes-tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) exhibit a remarkable wavelength dependence in dichloromethane, a medium polarity solvent. We proposed that weak absorption by long-distance, unassociated or "random" D⋯A pairs is mainly responsible for the free radical ion yield. Here a model for the wavelength dependence of the free ion yield is developed for four systems in which differing degrees of EDA complex formation are present: 1,3,5-tri-tert-butylbenzene-TCNE in which only random pairs exist due to the bulky groups on the electron donor, and toluene—TCNE, 1,3,5-triethylbenzene-TCNE and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene-TCNE. Mulliken-Hush theory is used to determine the excitation distance distribution of unassociated, random pairs at different wavelengths. For each absorption distribution, free radical ion yields at different wavelengths are then calculated using Onsager's result for the ion separation probability. Encouraging agreement between the calculated yields and our experimental results is obtained. As far as we are aware, this is the first time that photoexcitation of unassociated donor/acceptor pairs has been invoked as the source of separated radical ion pairs.

  7. Donor-acceptor-donor thienyl/bithienyl-benzothiadiazole/quinoxaline model oligomers: experimental and theoretical studies.

    PubMed

    Pina, João; de Melo, J Seixas; Breusov, D; Scherf, Ullrich

    2013-09-28

    A comprehensive spectral and photophysical investigation of four donor-acceptor-donor (DAD) oligomers consisting of electron-deficient 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole or quinoxaline moieties linked to electron-rich thienyl or bithienyl units has been undertaken. Additionally, a bis(dithienyl) substituted naphthalene was also investigated. The D-A-D nature of these oligomers resulted in the presence of an intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) state, which was further substantiated by solvatochromism studies (analysis with the Lippert-Mataga formalism). Hereby, significant differences have been obtained for the fluorescence quantum yields of the oligomers in the non-polar solvent methylcyclohexane vs. the polar ethanol. The study was further complemented with the determination of the optimized ground-state molecular geometries for the oligomers together with the prediction of the lowest vertical one-electron excitation energy and the relevant molecular orbital contours using DFT calculations. The electronic transitions show a clear HOMO to LUMO charge-transfer character. In contrast to the thiophene oligomers (the oligothiophenes with n = 1-7), where the intersystem crossing (ISC) yield decreases with n, the studied DAD oligomers were found to show an increase in the ISC efficiency with the number of (donor) thienyl units.

  8. Density functional study of the electronic structure of dye-functionalized fullerenes and their model donor-acceptor complexes containing P3HT

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Baruah, Tunna; Garnica, Amanda; Paggen, Marina

    2016-04-14

    We study the electronic structure of C{sub 60} fullerenes functionalized with a thiophene-diketo-pyrrolopyrrole-thiophene based chromophore using density functional theory combined with large polarized basis sets. As the attached chromophore has electron donor character, the functionalization of the fullerene leads to a donor-acceptor (DA) system. We examine in detail the effect of the linker and the addition site on the electronic structure of the functionalized fullerenes. We further study the electronic structure of these DA complexes with a focus on the charge transfer excitations. Finally, we examine the interface of the functionalized fullerenes with the widely used poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) donor. Ourmore » results show that all functionalized fullerenes with an exception of the C{sub 60}-pyrrolidine [6,6], where the pyrrolidine is attached at a [6,6] site, have larger electron affinities relative to the pristine C{sub 60} fullerene. We also estimate the quasi-particle gap, lowest charge transfer excitation energy, and the exciton binding energies of the functionalized fullerene-P3MT model systems. Results show that the exciton binding energies in these model complexes are slightly smaller compared to a similarly prepared phenyl-C{sub 61}-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM)-P3MT complex.« less

  9. Tuning the Rectification Ratio by Changing the Electronic Nature (Open-Shell and Closed-Shell) in Donor-Acceptor Self-Assembled Monolayers.

    PubMed

    Souto, Manuel; Yuan, Li; Morales, Dayana C; Jiang, Li; Ratera, Imma; Nijhuis, Christian A; Veciana, Jaume

    2017-03-29

    This Communication describes the mechanism of charge transport across self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of two donor-acceptor systems consisting of a polychlorotriphenylmethyl (PTM) electron-acceptor moiety linked to an electron-donor ferrocene (Fc) unit supported by ultraflat template-stripped Au and contacted by a eutectic alloy of gallium and indium top contacts. The electronic and supramolecular structures of these SAMs were well characterized. The PTM unit can be switched between the nonradical and radical forms, which influences the rectification behavior of the junction. Junctions with nonradical units rectify currents via the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) with a rectification ratio R = 99, but junctions with radical units have a new accessible state, a single-unoccupied molecular orbital (SUMO), which turns rectification off and drops R to 6.

  10. Application of acetate, lactate, and fumarate as electron donors in microbial fuel cell

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vasyliv, Oresta M.; Bilyy, Oleksandr I.; Ferensovych, Yaroslav P.; Hnatush, Svitlana O.

    2013-09-01

    Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are devices that use bacteria as the catalysts to oxidize organic and inorganic matter and generate current. Up to now, several classes of extracellular electron transfer mechanisms have been elucidated for various microorganisms. Shewanellaceae and Geobacteraceae families include the most of model exoelectrogenic microorganisms. Desulfuromonas acetoxidans bacterium inhabits aquatic sedimental sulfur-containing environments and is philogenetically close to representatives of Geobacteraceae family. Two chamber microbial fuel cell (0.3 l volume) was constructed with application of D. acetoxidans IMV B-7384 as anode biocatalyst. Acetic, lactic and fumaric acids were separately applied as organic electron donors for bacterial growth in constructed MFC. Bacterial cultivation in MFC was held during twenty days. Lactate oxidation caused electric power production with the highest value up to 0.071 mW on 64 hour of D. acetoxidans IMV B-7384 growth. Addition of acetic and fumaric acids into bacterial growth medium caused maximal power production up to 0.075 and 0.074 mW respectively on the 40 hour of their growth. Increasing of incubation time up to twentieth day caused decrease of generated electric power till 0.018 mW, 0.042 mW and 0.047 mW under usage of lactic, acetic and fumaric acids respectively by investigated bacteria. Power generation by D. acetoxidans IMV B-7384 was more stabile and durable under application of acetic and fumaric acids as electron donors in constructed MFC, than under addition of lactic acid in the same concentration into the growth medium.

  11. Modification of indole by electron-rich atoms and their application in novel electron donor materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Maolin; Qin, Guangjiong; Liu, Jialei; Zhen, Zhen; Fedorchuk, A. A.; Lakshminarayana, G.; Albassam, A. A.; El-Naggar, A. M.; Ozga, Katarzyna; Kityk, I. V.

    2017-08-01

    Novel nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophore based on 6-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)-1H-indole as the electron donor group was designed and synthesized. The molecular structure of this chromophore was characterized by 1H NMR spectra, 13C NMR spectra, and MS spectra. The delocalized energy level was estimated by UV-Vis. spectra. The thermal property was studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The poled films containing chromophores ZML-1 with a loading density of 10 wt% in amorphous polycarbonate (APC) afford an average electro-optic (EO) coefficient (r33) of 19 pm/V at 1310 nm. Compared to the reported aniline-based chromophore (r33 = 12 pm/V) analogues, chromophore ZML-1 exhibits enhanced electro-optical activity.

  12. Effective treatment of alkaline Cr(VI) contaminated leachate using a novel Pd-bionanocatalyst: Impact of electron donor and aqueous geochemistry

    PubMed Central

    Watts, Mathew P.; Coker, Victoria S.; Parry, Stephen A.; Thomas, Russell A.P.; Kalin, Robert; Lloyd, Jonathan R.

    2015-01-01

    Palladium catalysts offer the potential for the effective treatment of a variety of priority reducible pollutants in natural waters. In this study, microbially synthesized magnetite nanoparticles were functionalized with Pd(0), creating a highly reactive, magnetically recoverable, nano-scale catalyst (Pd-BnM). This was then investigated for the treatment of model Cr(VI) contaminated solutions at a range of pH values, and also alkaline Cr(VI) contaminated leachates from chromite ore processing residue (COPR); a contaminant issue of global concern. The sample of COPR used in this study was obtained from a site in Glasgow, UK, where extensive Cr(VI) contamination has been reported. In initial experiments Pd-BnM was supplied with H2 gas or formate as electron donors, and Cr(VI) removal from model synthetic solutions was quantified at various pH values (2–12). Effective removal was noted at neutral to environmentally relevant alkaline (pH 12) pH values, while the use of formate as an electron donor resulted in loss of performance under acidic conditions (pH 2). Reaction kinetics were then assessed with increasing Pd-BnM loading in both model pH 12 Cr(VI) solutions and the COPR leachate. When formate was used as the electron donor for Pd-BnM, to treat COPR leachate, there was significant inhibition of Cr(VI) removal. In contrast, a promotion of reaction rate, was observed when H2 was employed. Upon sustained reaction with model Cr(VI) solutions, in the presence of excess electron donor (formate or H2), appreciable quantities of Cr(VI) were removed before eventual inactivation of the catalyst. Faster onset of inactivation was reported in the COPR leachates, removing 4% and 64% of Cr(VI) observed from model Cr(VI) solutions, when formate and H2 were used as electron donors, respectively. XAS, TEM-EDX and XPS analysis of the catalysts that had been inactivated in the model solution, showed that the surface had an extensive covering of reduced Cr(III), most likely as a Cr

  13. Use of the donor lung after asphyxiation or drowning: effect on lung transplant recipients.

    PubMed

    Whitson, Bryan A; Hertz, Marshall I; Kelly, Rosemary F; Higgins, Robert S D; Kilic, Ahmet; Shumway, Sara J; D'Cunha, Jonathan

    2014-10-01

    With the relative paucity of acceptable donors for lung transplantation, criteria for extended donor consideration are being explored. We sought to evaluate the suitability of donors whose cause of death was asphyxiation or drowning (A/D) as a potential option to enlarge the donor pool. We queried the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) Standard Transplant Analysis and Research registry for lung transplantation from 1987 to 2010 to assess associations between cause of death and recipient survival using the Kaplan-Meier method. To adjust for potential confounders, we used a Cox proportional hazards model and a logistic regression model to evaluate incidence of rejection within the first year. There were 18,250 adult primary lung transplantations performed, with 309 A/D donors. There was no difference in survival between groups (log-rank, p = 0.52). There were no differences in demographics, length of stay, airway dehiscence, lung allocation score (LAS), or ischemic time in univariate analysis (all p > 0.05). The A/D lung recipients had fewer deaths from pulmonary causes (5.8% versus 9.5%; p = 0.02). Proportional hazards analysis was significant for double lung transplantation (hazard ratio [HR], 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.8-0.9), height difference (HR, 1.002; 95% CI, 1.00-1.003), donor age greater than 50 years (HR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.83-0.96), and recipient age greater than 55 years (HR, 0.8; 95% CI, 0.76-0.84). A/D cause of death did not impact survival in multivariate analysis. A/D as a donor cause of death was not associated with poor long-term survival or incidence of rejection in the first year after transplantation. Donor cause of death by A/D, when carefully evaluated and selected, should not automatically exclude the organ from transplant consideration. These results provide important justification for potentially broadening the donor pool safely. Copyright © 2014 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights

  14. Alternative Donor/Unrelated Donor Transplants for the β-Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Disease.

    PubMed

    Fitzhugh, Courtney D; Abraham, Allistair; Hsieh, Matthew M

    2017-01-01

    Considerable progress with respect to donor source has been achieved in allogeneic stem cell transplant for patients with hemoglobin disorders, with matched sibling donors in the 1980s, matched unrelated donors and cord blood sources in the 1990s, and haploidentical donors in the 2000s. Many studies have solidified hematopoietic progenitors from matched sibling marrow, cord blood, or mobilized peripheral blood as the best source-with the lowest graft rejection and graft versus host disease (GvHD), and highest disease-free survival rates. For patients without HLA-matched sibling donors, but who are otherwise eligible for transplant, fully allelic matched unrelated donor (8/8 HLA-A, B, C, DRB1) appears to be the next best option, though an ongoing study in patients with sickle cell disease will provide data that are currently lacking. There are high GvHD rates and low engraftment rates in some of the unrelated cord transplant studies. Haploidentical donors have emerged in the last decade to have less GvHD; however, improvements are needed to increase the engraftment rate. Thus the decision to use unrelated cord blood units or haploidentical donors may depend on the institutional expertise; there is no clear preferred choice over the other. Active research is ongoing in expanding cord blood progenitor cells to overcome the limitation of cell dose, including the options of small molecule inhibitor compounds added to ex vivo culture or co-culture with supportive cell lines. There are inconsistent data from using 7/8 or lower matched unrelated donors. Before routine use of these less matched donor sources, work is needed to improve patient selection, conditioning regimen, GvHD prophylaxis, and/or other strategies.

  15. Self-assembly properties of semiconducting donor-acceptor-donor bithienyl derivatives of tetrazine and thiadiazole-effect of the electron accepting central ring.

    PubMed

    Zapala, Joanna; Knor, Marek; Jaroch, Tomasz; Maranda-Niedbala, Agnieszka; Kurach, Ewa; Kotwica, Kamil; Nowakowski, Robert; Djurado, David; Pecaut, Jacques; Zagorska, Malgorzata; Pron, Adam

    2013-11-26

    Scanning tunneling microscopy was used to study the effect of the electron-accepting unit and the alkyl substituent's position on the type and extent of 2D supramolecular organization of penta-ring donor-acceptor-donor (DAD) semiconductors, consisting of either tetrazine or thiadiazole central acceptor ring symmetrically attached to two bithienyl groups. Microscopic observations of monomolecular layers on HOPG of four alkyl derivatives of the studied adsorbates indicate significant differences in their 2D organizations. Ordered monolayers of thiadiazole derivatives are relatively loose and, independent of the position of alkyl substituents, characterized by large intermolecular separation of acceptor units in the adjacent molecules located in the face-to-face configuration. The 2D supramolecular architecture in both derivatives of thiadiazole is very sensitive to the alkyl substituent's position. Significantly different behavior is observed for derivatives of tetrazine (which is a stronger electron acceptor). Stronger intermolecular DA interactions in these adsorbates generate an intermolecular shift in the monolayer, which is a dominant factor determining the 2D structural organization. As a consequence of this molecular arrangement, tetrazine groups (A segments) face thiophene rings (D segments) of the neighboring molecules. Monolayers of tetrazine derivatives are therefore much more densely packed and characterized by similar π-stacking of molecules independently of the position of alkyl substituents. Moreover, a comparative study of 3D supramolecular organization, deduced from the X-ray diffraction patterns, is also presented clearly confirming the polymorphism of the studied adsorbates.

  16. Effect of Electron Donor and Solution Chemistry on Products of Dissimilatory Reduction of Technetium by Shewanella putrefaciens

    PubMed Central

    Wildung, R. E.; Gorby, Y. A.; Krupka, K. M.; Hess, N. J.; Li, S. W.; Plymale, A. E.; McKinley, J. P.; Fredrickson, J. K.

    2000-01-01

    To help provide a fundamental basis for use of microbial dissimilatory reduction processes in separating or immobilizing 99Tc in waste or groundwaters, the effects of electron donor and the presence of the bicarbonate ion on the rate and extent of pertechnetate ion [Tc(VII)O4−] enzymatic reduction by the subsurface metal-reducing bacterium Shewanella putrefaciens CN32 were determined, and the forms of aqueous and solid-phase reduction products were evaluated through a combination of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and thermodynamic calculations. When H2 served as the electron donor, dissolved Tc(VII) was rapidly reduced to amorphous Tc(IV) hydrous oxide, which was largely associated with the cell in unbuffered 0.85% NaCl and with extracellular particulates (0.2 to 0.001 μm) in bicarbonate buffer. Cell-associated Tc was present principally in the periplasm and outside the outer membrane. The reduction rate was much lower when lactate was the electron donor, with extracellular Tc(IV) hydrous oxide the dominant solid-phase reduction product, but in bicarbonate systems much less Tc(IV) was associated directly with the cell and solid-phase Tc(IV) carbonate may have been present. In the presence of carbonate, soluble (<0.001 μm) electronegative, Tc(IV) carbonate complexes were also formed that exceeded Tc(VII)O4− in electrophoretic mobility. Thermodynamic calculations indicate that the dominant reduced Tc species identified in the experiments would be stable over a range of Eh and pH conditions typical of natural waters. Thus, carbonate complexes may represent an important pathway for Tc transport in anaerobic subsurface environments, where it has generally been assumed that Tc mobility is controlled by low-solubility Tc(IV) hydrous oxide and adsorptive, aqueous Tc(IV) hydrolysis products. PMID:10831424

  17. Diketopyrrolopyrrole-based π-bridged donor-acceptor polymer for photovoltaic applications.

    PubMed

    Li, Wenting; Lee, Taegweon; Oh, Soong Ju; Kagan, Cherie R

    2011-10-01

    We report the synthesis, properties, and photovoltaic applications of a new conjugated copolymer (C12DPP-π-BT) containing a donor group (bithiophene) and an acceptor group (2,5-didodecylpyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4(2H,5H)-dione), bridged by a phenyl group. Using cyclic voltammetry, we found the energy levels of C12DPP-π-BT are intermediate to common electron donor and acceptor photovoltaic materials, poly (3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), respectively. Whereas P3HT and PCBM are exclusively electron donating or accepting, we predict C12DPP-π-BT may uniquely serve as either an electron donor or an acceptor when paired with PCBM or P3HT forming junctions with large built-in potentials. We confirmed the ambipolar nature of C12DPP-π-BT in space charge limited current measurements and in C12DPP-π-BT:PCBM and C12DPP-π-BT:P3HT bulk heterojunction solar cells, achieving power conversion efficiencies of 1.67% and 0.84%, respectively, under illumination of AM 1.5G (100 mW/cm(2)). Adding diiodooctane to C12DPP-π-BT:PCBM improved donor-acceptor inter-mixing and film uniformity, and therefore enhanced charge separation and overall device efficiency. Using higher-molecular-weight polymer C12DPP-π-BT in both C12DPP-π-BT:PCBM and C12DPP-π-BT:P3HT devices improved charge transport and hence the performance of the solar cells. In addition, we compared the structural and electronic properties of C12DPP-π-BT:PCBM and C12DPP-π-BT:P3HT blends, representing the materials classes of polymer:fullerene and polymer:polymer blends. In C12DPP-π-BT:PCBM blends, higher short circuit currents were obtained, consistent with faster charge transfer and balanced electron and hole transport, but lower open circuit voltages may be reduced by trap-assisted recombination and interfacial recombination losses. In contrast, C12DPP-π-BT:P3HT blends exhibit higher open circuit voltage, but short circuit currents were limited by charge transfer

  18. Humin as an electron donor for enhancement of multiple microbial reduction reactions with different redox potentials in a consortium.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Dongdong; Zhang, Chunfang; Xiao, Zhixing; Suzuki, Daisuke; Katayama, Arata

    2015-02-01

    A solid-phase humin, acting as an electron donor, was able to enhance multiple reductive biotransformations, including dechlorination of pentachlorophenol (PCP), dissimilatory reduction of amorphous Fe (III) oxide (FeOOH), and reduction of nitrate, in a consortium. Humin that was chemically reduced by NaBH4 served as an electron donor for these microbial reducing reactions, with electron donating capacities of 0.013 mmol e(-)/g for PCP dechlorination, 0.15 mmol e(-)/g for iron reduction, and 0.30 mmol e(-)/g for nitrate reduction. Two pairs of oxidation and reduction peaks within the humin were detected by cyclic voltammetry analysis. 16S rRNA gene sequencing-based microbial community analysis of the consortium incubated with different terminal electron acceptors, suggested that Dehalobacter sp., Bacteroides sp., and Sulfurospirillum sp. were involved in the PCP dechlorination, dissimilatory iron reduction, and nitrate reduction, respectively. These findings suggested that humin functioned as a versatile redox mediator, donating electrons for multiple respiration reactions with different redox potentials. Copyright © 2014 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. A simplified methylcoenzyme M methylreductase assay with artificial electron donors and different preparations of component C from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum delta H.

    PubMed Central

    Hartzell, P L; Escalante-Semerena, J C; Bobik, T A; Wolfe, R S

    1988-01-01

    Different preparations of the methylreductase were tested in a simplified methylcoenzyme M methylreductase assay with artificial electron donors under a nitrogen atmosphere. ATP and Mg2+ stimulated the reaction. Tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium (II), chromous chloride, chromous acetate, titanium III citrate, 2,8-diaminoacridine, formamidinesulfinic acid, cob(I)alamin (B12s), and dithiothreitol were tested as electron donors; the most effective donor was titanium III citrate. Methylreductase (component C) was prepared by 80% ammonium sulfate precipitation, 70% ammonium sulfate precipitation, phenyl-Sepharose chromatography, Mono Q column chromatography, DEAE-cellulose column chromatography, or tetrahydromethanopterin affinity column chromatography. Methylreductase preparations which were able to catalyze methanogenesis in the simplified reaction mixture contained contaminating proteins. Homogeneous component C obtained from a tetrahydromethanopterin affinity column was not active in the simplified assay but was active in a methylreductase assay that contained additional protein components. Images PMID:3372480

  20. Modeling ultrafast exciton migration within the electron donor domains of bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaics

    DOE PAGES

    Bednarz, Mateusz; Lapin, Joel; McGillicuddy, Ryan; ...

    2017-02-21

    Recent experimental studies revealed that charge carriers harvested by bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaics can be collected on ultrafast time scales. To investigate ultrafast exciton mobility, we construct simple, nonatomistic models of a common polymeric electron donor material. We first explore the relationship between the magnitude of energetic noise in the model Hamiltonian and the spatial extent of resulting eigenstates. We then employ a quantum master equation approach to simulate migration of chromophore-localized initial excited states. Excitons initially localized on a single chromophore at the center of the model delocalize down polymer chains and across pi-stacked chromophores through a coherent, wavelikemore » mechanism during the first few tens of femtoseconds. We explore the dependence of this coherent delocalization on coupling strength and on the magnitude of energetic noise. At longer times we observe continued migration toward a uniform population distribution that proceeds through an incoherent, diffusive mechanism. A series of simulations modeling exciton harvesting in domains of varying size demonstrates that smaller domains enhance ultrafast exciton harvesting yield. Finally, our nonatomistic model falls short of quantitative accuracy but demonstrates that excitons are mobile within electron donor domains on ultrafast time scales and that coherent exciton transport can enhance ultrafast exciton harvesting.« less

  1. Modeling ultrafast exciton migration within the electron donor domains of bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaics

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bednarz, Mateusz; Lapin, Joel; McGillicuddy, Ryan

    Recent experimental studies revealed that charge carriers harvested by bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaics can be collected on ultrafast time scales. To investigate ultrafast exciton mobility, we construct simple, nonatomistic models of a common polymeric electron donor material. We first explore the relationship between the magnitude of energetic noise in the model Hamiltonian and the spatial extent of resulting eigenstates. We then employ a quantum master equation approach to simulate migration of chromophore-localized initial excited states. Excitons initially localized on a single chromophore at the center of the model delocalize down polymer chains and across pi-stacked chromophores through a coherent, wavelikemore » mechanism during the first few tens of femtoseconds. We explore the dependence of this coherent delocalization on coupling strength and on the magnitude of energetic noise. At longer times we observe continued migration toward a uniform population distribution that proceeds through an incoherent, diffusive mechanism. A series of simulations modeling exciton harvesting in domains of varying size demonstrates that smaller domains enhance ultrafast exciton harvesting yield. Finally, our nonatomistic model falls short of quantitative accuracy but demonstrates that excitons are mobile within electron donor domains on ultrafast time scales and that coherent exciton transport can enhance ultrafast exciton harvesting.« less

  2. Impact of Temperature and Non-Gaussian Statistics on Electron Transfer in Donor-Bridge-Acceptor Molecules.

    PubMed

    Waskasi, Morteza M; Newton, Marshall D; Matyushov, Dmitry V

    2017-03-30

    A combination of experimental data and theoretical analysis provides evidence of a bell-shaped kinetics of electron transfer in the Arrhenius coordinates ln k vs 1/T. This kinetic law is a temperature analogue of the familiar Marcus bell-shaped dependence based on ln k vs the reaction free energy. These results were obtained for reactions of intramolecular charge shift between the donor and acceptor separated by a rigid spacer studied experimentally by Miller and co-workers. The non-Arrhenius kinetic law is a direct consequence of the solvent reorganization energy and reaction driving force changing approximately as hyperbolic functions with temperature. The reorganization energy decreases and the driving force increases when temperature is increased. The point of equality between them marks the maximum of the activationless reaction rate. Reaching the consistency between the kinetic and thermodynamic experimental data requires the non-Gaussian statistics of the donor-acceptor energy gap described by the Q-model of electron transfer. The theoretical formalism combines the vibrational envelope of quantum vibronic transitions with the Q-model describing the classical component of the Franck-Condon factor and a microscopic solvation model of the solvent reorganization energy and the reaction free energy.

  3. Spectrophotometric and spectroscopic studies of charge transfer complexes of p-toluidine as an electron donor with picric acid as an electron acceptor in different solvents

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh, Neeti; Khan, Ishaat M.; Ahmad, Afaq

    2010-04-01

    The charge transfer complexes of the donor p-toluidine with π-acceptor picric acid have been studied spectrophotometrically in various solvents such as carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, dichloromethane acetone, ethanol, and methanol at room temperature using absorption spectrophotometer. The results indicate that formation of CTC in non-polar solvent is high. The stoichiometry of the complex was found to be 1:1 ratio by straight-line method between donor and acceptor with maximum absorption bands. The data are discussed in terms of formation constant ( KCT), molar extinction coefficient ( ɛCT), standard free energy (Δ Go), oscillator strength ( f), transition dipole moment ( μEN), resonance energy ( RN) and ionization potential ( ID). The results indicate that the formation constant ( KCT) for the complex was shown to be dependent upon the nature of electron acceptor, donor and polarity of solvents that were used.

  4. Coherent coupling between a quantum dot and a donor in silicon

    DOE PAGES

    Harvey-Collard, Patrick; Jacobson, N. Tobias; Rudolph, Martin; ...

    2017-10-18

    Individual donors in silicon chips are used as quantum bits with extremely low error rates. However, physical realizations have been limited to one donor because their atomic size causes fabrication challenges. Quantum dot qubits, in contrast, are highly adjustable using electrical gate voltages. This adjustability could be leveraged to deterministically couple donors to quantum dots in arrays of qubits. In this work, we demonstrate the coherent interaction of a 31P donor electron with the electron of a metal-oxide-semiconductor quantum dot. We form a logical qubit encoded in the spin singlet and triplet states of the two-electron system. We show thatmore » the donor nuclear spin drives coherent rotations between the electronic qubit states through the contact hyperfine interaction. This provides every key element for compact two-electron spin qubits requiring only a single dot and no additional magnetic field gradients, as well as a means to interact with the nuclear spin qubit.« less

  5. Structure and electronic properties of Alq3 derivatives with electron acceptor/donor groups at the C4 positions of the quinolate ligands: a theoretical study.

    PubMed

    Rao, Joshi Laxmikanth; Bhanuprakash, Kotamarthi

    2011-12-01

    The molecular structures of the ground (S(0)) and first singlet excited (S(1)) states of Alq3 derivatives in which pyrazolyl and 3-methylpyrazolyl groups are substituted at the C4 positions of the 8-hydroxyquinolate ligands as electron acceptors, and piperidinyl and N-methylpiperazinyl groups are substituted at the same positions as electron donors, have been optimized using the B3LYP/6-31G and CIS/6-31G methods, respectively. In order to analyze the electronic transitions in these derivatives, the frontier molecular orbital characteristics were analyzed systematically, and it was found that the highest occupied molecular orbital is localized on the A ligand while the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital is localized on the B ligand in their ground states, similar to what is seen for mer-Alq3. The absorption and emission spectra were evaluated at the TD-PBE0/6-31G level, and it was observed that electron acceptor substitution causes a red-shift in the emission spectra, which is also seen experimentally. The reorganization energies were calculated at the B3LYP/6-31G level and the results show that acceptor/donor substitution has a significant effect on the intrinsic charge mobilities of these derivatives as compared to mer-Alq3.

  6. The blood donor identity survey: a multidimensional measure of blood donor motivations.

    PubMed

    France, Christopher R; Kowalsky, Jennifer M; France, Janis L; Himawan, Lina K; Kessler, Debra A; Shaz, Beth H

    2014-08-01

    Evidence indicates that donor identity is an important predictor of donation behavior; however, prior studies have relied on diverse, unidimensional measures with limited psychometric support. The goals of this study were to examine the application of self-determination theory to blood donor motivations and to develop and validate a related multidimensional measure of donor identity. Items were developed and administered electronically to a sample of New York Blood Center (NYBC) donors (n=582) and then to a sample of Ohio University students (n=1005). Following initial confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the NYBC sample to identify key items related to self-determination theory's six motivational factors, a revised survey was administered to the university sample to reexamine model fit and to assess survey reliability and validity. Consistent with self-determination theory, for both samples CFAs indicated that the best fit to the data was provided by a six-motivational-factor model, including amotivation, external regulation, introjected regulation, identified regulation, integrated regulation, and intrinsic regulation. The Blood Donor Identity Survey provides a psychometrically sound, multidimensional measure of donor motivations (ranging from unmotivated to donate to increasing levels of autonomous motivation to donate) that is suitable for nondonors as well as donors with varying levels of experience. Future research is needed to examine longitudinal changes in donor identity and its relationship to actual donation behavior. © 2014 AABB.

  7. Outcomes of red blood cell transfusions prescribed in organ donors by the Digital Intern, an electronic decision support algorithm.

    PubMed

    Connor, Joseph P; Raife, Thomas; Medow, Joshua E

    2018-02-01

    The Digital Intern (DI) is an electronic decision support tool for the management of organ donors. One algorithm determines the dose, in units of red blood cells to be transfused, based on hematocrit (Hct) thresholds and targets. The effectiveness of the transfusion dose calculated by the DI in terms of achieving the selected Hct target and the duration of the targeted dose is not known. This was a retrospective study to describe the outcomes of transfusions prescribed by the DI. Pre- and posttransfusion Hct levels were compared to define response and all posttransfusion Hct values were plotted to evaluate the duration of the prescribed dose. A total of 120 organ donors were studied and 22 donors had 28 transfusions (six were transfused twice). The transfused donors were a mix of trauma and medical admissions and brain death and cardiac death donors. The transfusion target of 24% Hct was attained in 96% of transfusions. The mean number of units transfused was 1.4 and the mean time from transfusion to procurement was 19.8 hours. There was a decline in Hct over time after transfusion in all but one case with a mean decline of 1.9% Hct over 13 hours. Six donors were transfused twice, likely due to a longer donor time period (41.7 hr vs. 27 hr). The DI provided transfusion dosing that achieved the desired threshold in the majority of organ donors transfused. Ongoing work focuses on application of this technology to transfusions in general patient populations. © 2017 AABB.

  8. Super electron donor-mediated reductive transformation of nitrobenzenes: a novel strategy to synthesize azobenzenes and phenazines.

    PubMed

    Nozawa-Kumada, Kanako; Abe, Erina; Ito, Shungo; Shigeno, Masanori; Kondo, Yoshinori

    2018-05-02

    The transformation of nitrobenzenes into azobenzenes by pyridine-derived super electron donor 2 is described. This method provides an efficient synthesis of azobenzenes because of not requiring the use of expensive transition-metals, toxic or flammable reagents, or harsh conditions. Moreover, when using 2-fluoronitrobenzenes as substrates, phenazines were found to be obtained. The process affords a novel synthesis of phenazines.

  9. New Sm(III) complexes as electronic-excitation donors of the Seta-632 squaraine dye

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Egorova, A. V.; Leonenko, I. I.; Aleksandrova, D. I.; Skripinets, Yu. V.; Antonovich, V. P.; Obukhova, E. N.; Patsenker, L. D.

    2015-07-01

    We have found optimal formation conditions of new Sm(III) chelate complexes with derivatives of oxoquinolinecarboxylic acid ( L 1 and L 2) and determined their spectral-luminescent characteristics (the luminescence and luminescence excitation wavelength maxima and the luminescence lifetimes). We have revealed that the Seta-632 squaraine dye (a fluorescent label of proteins and other biological molecules) quenches the luminescence of complexes Sm(III)- L 1 and Sm(III)- L 2. The quenching of chelate complexes is caused by the Förster resonant electronic-excitation energy transfer (FRET) from the donor (Sm(III)- L 1 or Sm(III)- L 2) to the acceptor (Seta-632). In this case, the luminescence intensity of the Seta-632 dye in the presence of Sm(III)- L 1 and Sm(III)- L 2 increases by factors of 64 and 27, respectively. The values of the Förster radii ( R 0(Sm- L1) = 38 Å, R 0(Sm- L2) = 35 Å) and the overlap integrals of the luminescence spectra of the two energy donors with the absorption spectrum of the acceptor ( J Sm- L1 = 1.22 × 1012 M-1 cm-1 nm4 and J Sm- L2 = 1.06 × 1012 M-1 cm-1 nm4), which have been calculated from the luminescence quantum intensity of the donors and from the absorption spectrum of the acceptor and its molar absorption coefficient, have made it possible to characterize the Seta-632 dye as an efficient quencher of the luminescence of Sm(III) ions. We are the first to propose Sm(III)- L 1 and Sm(III)- L 2 chelate complexes as FRET donors.

  10. Current oscillations in semi-insulating GaAs associated with field-enhanced capture of electrons by the major deep donor EL2

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kaminska, M.; Parsey, J. M.; Lagowski, J.; Gatos, H. C.

    1982-01-01

    Current oscillations thermally activated by the release of electrons from deep levels in undoped semiinsulating GaAs were observed for the first time. They were attributed to electric field-enhanced capture of electrons by the dominant deep donor EL2 (antisite AsGa defect). This enhanced capture is due to the configurational energy barrier of EL2, which is readily penetrated by hot electrons.

  11. Isolation of Acetogenic Bacteria That Induce Biocorrosion by Utilizing Metallic Iron as the Sole Electron Donor

    PubMed Central

    Yumoto, Isao; Kamagata, Yoichi

    2014-01-01

    Corrosion of iron occurring under anoxic conditions, which is termed microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) or biocorrosion, is mostly caused by microbial activities. Microbial activity that enhances corrosion via uptake of electrons from metallic iron [Fe(0)] has been regarded as one of the major causative factors. In addition to sulfate-reducing bacteria and methanogenic archaea in marine environments, acetogenic bacteria in freshwater environments have recently been suggested to cause MIC under anoxic conditions. However, no microorganisms that perform acetogenesis-dependent MIC have been isolated or had their MIC-inducing mechanisms characterized. Here, we enriched and isolated acetogenic bacteria that induce iron corrosion by utilizing Fe(0) as the sole electron donor under freshwater, sulfate-free, and anoxic conditions. The enriched communities produced significantly larger amounts of Fe(II) than the abiotic controls and produced acetate coupled with Fe(0) oxidation prior to CH4 production. Microbial community analysis revealed that Sporomusa sp. and Desulfovibrio sp. dominated in the enrichments. Strain GT1, which is closely related to the acetogen Sporomusa sphaeroides, was eventually isolated from the enrichment. Strain GT1 grew acetogenetically with Fe(0) as the sole electron donor and enhanced iron corrosion, which is the first demonstration of MIC mediated by a pure culture of an acetogen. Other well-known acetogenic bacteria, including Sporomusa ovata and Acetobacterium spp., did not grow well on Fe(0). These results indicate that very few species of acetogens have specific mechanisms to efficiently utilize cathodic electrons derived from Fe(0) oxidation and induce iron corrosion. PMID:25304512

  12. Isolation of acetogenic bacteria that induce biocorrosion by utilizing metallic iron as the sole electron donor.

    PubMed

    Kato, Souichiro; Yumoto, Isao; Kamagata, Yoichi

    2015-01-01

    Corrosion of iron occurring under anoxic conditions, which is termed microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) or biocorrosion, is mostly caused by microbial activities. Microbial activity that enhances corrosion via uptake of electrons from metallic iron [Fe(0)] has been regarded as one of the major causative factors. In addition to sulfate-reducing bacteria and methanogenic archaea in marine environments, acetogenic bacteria in freshwater environments have recently been suggested to cause MIC under anoxic conditions. However, no microorganisms that perform acetogenesis-dependent MIC have been isolated or had their MIC-inducing mechanisms characterized. Here, we enriched and isolated acetogenic bacteria that induce iron corrosion by utilizing Fe(0) as the sole electron donor under freshwater, sulfate-free, and anoxic conditions. The enriched communities produced significantly larger amounts of Fe(II) than the abiotic controls and produced acetate coupled with Fe(0) oxidation prior to CH4 production. Microbial community analysis revealed that Sporomusa sp. and Desulfovibrio sp. dominated in the enrichments. Strain GT1, which is closely related to the acetogen Sporomusa sphaeroides, was eventually isolated from the enrichment. Strain GT1 grew acetogenetically with Fe(0) as the sole electron donor and enhanced iron corrosion, which is the first demonstration of MIC mediated by a pure culture of an acetogen. Other well-known acetogenic bacteria, including Sporomusa ovata and Acetobacterium spp., did not grow well on Fe(0). These results indicate that very few species of acetogens have specific mechanisms to efficiently utilize cathodic electrons derived from Fe(0) oxidation and induce iron corrosion. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  13. Targeting ideal acceptor-donor materials based on hexabenzocoronene

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Santos Silva, H.; Metz, Sebastian; Hiorns, Roger C.; Bégué, D.

    2018-06-01

    A series of new hybrid donor-acceptor materials based on hexabenzocoronenes (HBC) functionalized with electron donors is investigated by combining a variety of quantum mechanical and molecular dynamic methodologies for use in organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices. Segments of a low band gap alternating copolymer constructed of benzo[1,2-b;3,4-b]dithiophene and thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione were attached to the conjugated HBC core. The copolymer was chosen for its known high performance in OPVs, and both moieties were singled out due to their exceptional resistance to photo-oxidation, an important requirement for such applications. The macromolecular topology of these systems are expected to induce supra-molecular columns, such as those common to discotic liquid crystals, conducive to the effective percolation of electrons in OPV devices. A challenge with these systems, that of the mixing of the electronic structures of the donor and acceptor moieties that result in excitonic losses and charge recombination, was diminished by trialling a range of linking units. It was found possible to propose ideal donor-acceptor structures with enhanced charge dissociations and transfers in the π-stacking direction for use in OPV and other organic electronic devices.

  14. Organic substrates as electron donors in permeable reactive barriers for removal of heavy metals from acid mine drainage.

    PubMed

    Kijjanapanich, P; Pakdeerattanamint, K; Lens, P N L; Annachhatre, A P

    2012-12-01

    This research was conducted to select suitable natural organic substrates as potential carbon sources for use as electron donors for biological sulphate reduction in a permeable reactive barrier (PRB). A number of organic substrates were assessed through batch and continuous column experiments under anaerobic conditions with acid mine drainage (AMD) obtained from an abandoned lignite coal mine. To keep the heavy metal concentration at a constant level, the AMD was supplemented with heavy metals whenever necessary. Under anaerobic conditions, sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) converted sulphate into sulphide using the organic substrates as electron donors. The sulphide that was generated precipitated heavy metals as metal sulphides. Organic substrates, which yielded the highest sulphate reduction in batch tests, were selected for continuous column experiments which lasted over 200 days. A mixture of pig-farm wastewater treatment sludge, rice husk and coconut husk chips yielded the best heavy metal (Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn) removal efficiencies of over 90%.

  15. Spectrophotometric and spectroscopic studies of charge transfer complexes of p-toluidine as an electron donor with picric acid as an electron acceptor in different solvents.

    PubMed

    Singh, Neeti; Khan, Ishaat M; Ahmad, Afaq

    2010-04-01

    The charge transfer complexes of the donor p-toluidine with pi-acceptor picric acid have been studied spectrophotometrically in various solvents such as carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, dichloromethane acetone, ethanol, and methanol at room temperature using absorption spectrophotometer. The results indicate that formation of CTC in non-polar solvent is high. The stoichiometry of the complex was found to be 1:1 ratio by straight-line method between donor and acceptor with maximum absorption bands. The data are discussed in terms of formation constant (K(CT)), molar extinction coefficient (epsilon(CT)), standard free energy (DeltaG(o)), oscillator strength (f), transition dipole moment (mu(EN)), resonance energy (R(N)) and ionization potential (I(D)). The results indicate that the formation constant (K(CT)) for the complex was shown to be dependent upon the nature of electron acceptor, donor and polarity of solvents that were used. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Microbial utilization of electrically reduced neutral red as the sole electron donor for growth and metabolite production

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Park, D.H.; Laivenieks, M.; Guettler, M.V.

    1999-07-01

    Electrically reduced neutral red (NR) served as the sole source of reducing power for growth and metabolism of pure and mixed cultures of H[sub 2]-consuming bacteria in a novel electrochemical bioreactor system. NR was continuously reduced by the cathodic potential ([minus]1.5 V) generated from an electric current (0.3 to 1.0 mA), and it was subsequently oxidized by Actinobacillus succinogenes or by mixed methanogenic cultures. The A. succinogenes mutant strain FZ-6 did not grow on fumarate alone unless electrically reduced NR or hydrogen was present as the electron donor for succinate production. The mutant strain, unlike the wild type, lacked pyruvatemore » formate lyase and formate dehydrogenase. Electrically reduced NR also replaced hydrogen as the sole electron donor source for growth and production of methane from CO[sub 2]. These results show that both pure and mixed cultures can function as electrochemical devices when electrically generated reducing power can be used to drive metabolism. The potential utility of utilizing electrical reducing power in enhancing industrial fermentations or biotransformation processes is discussed.« less

  17. Denitrification of the anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) effluent with alternative electron donors in domestic wastewater treatment.

    PubMed

    Pelaz, L; Gómez, A; Garralón, G; Letona, A; Fdz-Polanco, M

    2017-11-01

    A fixed film bioreactor for the denitrification of the effluent from an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) treating domestic wastewater was designed, built and investigated. After anaerobic treatment, the wastewater usually has a low C/N ratio (∼1.3), and a remaining chemical oxygen demand of around 117mg O 2 /L, which is not enough to make conventional heterotrophic denitrification possible. That effluent also holds methane and sulfide dissolved and oversaturated after leaving the AnMBR. This paper demonstrates the feasibility of using these reduced compounds as electron donors in order to remove 80mg NO x - -N/L at 18°C and 2h of hydraulic retention time. In addition, the influence of the NO 2 - /NO 3 - ratios in the feed was studied. Total nitrogen removal was achieved in all the cases studied, except for a feed with 100% NO 3 - . Methane was the main electron donor used to remove the nitrites and nitrates, with a participation rate of over 70%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Donor-impurity-related optical response and electron Raman scattering in GaAs cone-like quantum dots

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gil-Corrales, A.; Morales, A. L.; Restrepo, R. L.; Mora-Ramos, M. E.; Duque, C. A.

    2017-02-01

    The donor-impurity-related optical absorption, relative refractive index changes, and Raman scattering in GaAs cone-like quantum dots are theoretically investigated. Calculations are performed within the effective mass and parabolic band approximations, using the variational procedure to include the electron-impurity correlation effects. The study involves 1 s -like, 2px-like, and 2pz-like states. The conical structure is chosen in such a way that the cone height is large enough in comparison with the base radius thus allowing the use a quasi-analytic solution of the uncorrelated Schrödinger-like electron states.

  19. [Potential Carbon Fixation Capability of Non-photosynthetic Microbial Community at Different Depth of the South China Sea and Its Response to Different Electron Donors].

    PubMed

    Fang, Feng; Wang, Lei; Xi, Xue-fei; Hu, Jia-jun; Fu, Xiao-hua; Lu, Bing; Xu, Dian-sheng

    2015-05-01

    The seawater samples collected from many different areas with different depth in the South China Sea were cultivated using different electron donors respectively. And the variation in the potential carbon fixation capability ( PCFC ) of non-photosynthetic microbial community (NPMC) in seawater with different depth was determined after a cycle of cultivation through the statistic analysis. In addition, the cause for the variation was clarified through analyzing key gene abundance regarding CO2 fixation and characteristics of seawater with different depth. The result showed that the PCFCs of NPMC in seawater with different depth were generally low and had no significant difference when using NaNO2 as the electron donor. The PCFC of NPMC in surface seawater was higher than that in deep seawater when using H2 as the electron donor, on the contrary, the PCFC of NPMC in deep seawater was higher than that in surface seawater when using Na2S2O3 as the electron donor. The abundance of the main CO2 fixation gene cbbL in surface seawater was higher than that in deep seawater while the cbbM gene abundance in deep seawater was higher than that in surface seawater. Most hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria had the cbbL gene, and most sulfur bacteria had the cbbM gene. The tendency of seawater cbbL/cbbM gene abundance with the change of depth revealed that there were different kinds of bacteria accounting for the majority in NPMC fixing CO2 at different depth of ocean, which led to different response of PCFC of NPMC at different depth of the sea to different electron donors. The distributions of dissolved oxygen and inorganic carbon concentration with the change of the depth of the sea might be an important reason leading to the difference of NPMC structure and even the difference of PCFC at different depth of the sea.

  20. Reactive Black 5 as electron donor and/or electron acceptor in dual chamber of solar photocatalytic fuel cell.

    PubMed

    Khalik, Wan Fadhilah; Ho, Li-Ngee; Ong, Soon-An; Voon, Chun-Hong; Wong, Yee-Shian; Yusuf, Sara Yasina; Yusoff, NikAthirah; Lee, Sin-Li

    2018-07-01

    The role of azo dye Reactive Black 5 (RB5) as an electron donor and/or electron acceptor could be distinguished in dual chamber of photocatalytic fuel cell (PFC). The introduction of RB5 in anode chamber increased the voltage generation in the system since degradation of RB5 might produce electrons which also would transfer through external circuit to the cathode chamber. The removal efficiency of RB5 with open and closed circuit was 8.5% and 13.6%, respectively and removal efficiency for open circuit was low due to the fact that recombination of electron-hole pairs might happen in anode chamber since without connection to the cathode, electron cannot be transferred. The degradation of RB5 in cathode chamber with absence of oxygen showed that electrons from anode chamber was accepted by dye molecules to break its azo bond. The presence of oxygen in cathode chamber would improve the oxygen reduction rate which occurred at Platinum-loaded carbon (Pt/C) cathode electrode. The V oc , J sc and P max for different condition of ultrapure water at cathode chamber also affected their fill factor. The transportation of protons to cathode chamber through Nafion membrane could decrease the pH of ultrapure water in cathode chamber and undergo hydrogen evolution reaction in the absence of oxygen which then increased degradation rate of RB5 as well as its electricity generation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Improving first-time donor attendance rates through the use of enhanced donor preparation materials.

    PubMed

    Masser, Barbara; France, Christopher R; Foot, Jayne; Rozsa, Amy; Hayman, Jane; Waller, Daniel; Hunder, Everard

    2016-06-01

    Many nondonors are positive about blood donation and this motivates booking an appointment to donate. However, as their appointment approaches barriers to donating-such as anxiety-may become salient and deter attendance. Building on research of France and colleagues demonstrating the positive effect of enhanced preparation materials on donor recruitment, this study sought to determine whether these materials could effectively boost first donation appointment attendance. A field study comprising a 3 (brochure: none, e-mail, hard copy) × 2 (national call center [NCC] contact: none, call) between-subjects design was conducted with 3646 nondonors who had scheduled their first appointment. Participants in the brochure conditions received either a hard copy or an e-mailed link to electronic materials modeled on the donor preparation research of France and colleagues. Participants in the NCC call condition also received a call scripted in line with these preparation materials. The key outcome was new donor attendance rate. Although first-appointment attendance rates were high in the control (no additional contact) condition at 85.07% of those not canceling in advance, dual exposure to the preparation materials through a NCC call and an electronic brochure boosted attendance. The relative risk of attending in the NCC call and electronic brochure condition was 1.0836 (95% confidence interval, 1.0352-1.1343; p = 0.0006), with attendance 8.36% higher than in the control. This gain in attendance came at a relative increase in recruitment costs of 2%. The use of tailored communication to address new donors' concerns and prepare them for donating bolsters attendance rates. © 2016 AABB.

  2. Phenothiazine-anthraquinone donor-acceptor molecules: synthesis, electronic properties and DFT-TDDFT computational study.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Wen-Wei; Mao, Wei-Li; Hu, Yun-Xia; Tian, Zi-Qi; Wang, Zhi-Lin; Meng, Qing-Jin

    2009-09-17

    Two donor-acceptor molecules with different pi-electron conjugative units, 1-((10-methyl-10H-phenothiazin-3-yl)ethynyl)anthracene-9,10-dione (AqMp) and 1,1'-(10-methyl-10H-phenothiazine-3,7-diyl)bis(ethyne-2,1-diyl)dianthracene-9,10-dione (Aq2Mp), have been synthesized and investigated for their photochemical and electrochemical properties. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations provide insights into their molecular geometry, electronic structures, and properties. These studies satisfactorily explain the electrochemistry of the two compounds and indicate that larger conjugative effect leads to smaller HOMO-LUMO gap (Eg) in Aq2Mp. Both compounds show ICT and pi --> pi* transitions in the UV-visible range in solution, and Aq2Mp has a bathochromic shift and shows higher oscillator strength of the absorption, which has been verified by time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) calculations. The differences between AqMp and Aq2Mp indicate that the structural and conjugative effects have great influence on the electronic properties of the molecules.

  3. Diversity and Ubiquity of Bacteria Capable of Utilizing Humic Substances as Electron Donors for Anaerobic Respiration

    PubMed Central

    Coates, John D.; Cole, Kimberly A.; Chakraborty, Romy; O'Connor, Susan M.; Achenbach, Laurie A.

    2002-01-01

    Previous studies have demonstrated that reduced humic substances (HS) can be reoxidized by anaerobic bacteria such as Geobacter, Geothrix, and Wolinella species with a suitable electron acceptor; however, little is known of the importance of this metabolism in the environment. Recently we investigated this metabolism in a diversity of environments including marine and aquatic sediments, forest soils, and drainage ditch soils. Most-probable-number enumeration studies were performed using 2,6-anthrahydroquinone disulfonate (AHDS), an analog for reduced HS, as the electron donor with nitrate as the electron acceptor. Anaerobic organisms capable of utilizing reduced HS as an electron donor were found in all environments tested and ranged from a low of 2.31 × 101 in aquifer sediments to a high of 9.33 × 106 in lake sediments. As part of this study we isolated six novel organisms capable of anaerobic AHDS oxidation. All of the isolates coupled the oxidation of AHDS to the reduction of nitrate with acetate (0.1 mM) as the carbon source. In the absence of cells, no AHDS oxidation was apparent, and in the absence of AHDS, no cell density increase was observed. Generally, nitrate was reduced to N2. Analysis of the AHDS and its oxidized form, 2,6-anthraquinone disulfonate (AQDS), in the medium during growth revealed that the anthraquinone was not being biodegraded as a carbon source and was simply being oxidized as an energy source. Determination of the AHDS oxidized and nitrate reduced accounted for 109% of the theoretical electron transfer. In addition to AHDS, all of these isolates could also couple the oxidation of reduced humic substances to the reduction of nitrate. No HS oxidation occurred in the absence of cells and in the absence of a suitable electron acceptor, demonstrating that these organisms were capable of utilizing natural HS as an energy source and that AHDS serves as a suitable analog for studying this metabolism. Alternative electron donors included

  4. Diversity and ubiquity of bacteria capable of utilizing humic substances as electron donors for anaerobic respiration.

    PubMed

    Coates, John D; Cole, Kimberly A; Chakraborty, Romy; O'Connor, Susan M; Achenbach, Laurie A

    2002-05-01

    Previous studies have demonstrated that reduced humic substances (HS) can be reoxidized by anaerobic bacteria such as Geobacter, Geothrix, and Wolinella species with a suitable electron acceptor; however, little is known of the importance of this metabolism in the environment. Recently we investigated this metabolism in a diversity of environments including marine and aquatic sediments, forest soils, and drainage ditch soils. Most-probable-number enumeration studies were performed using 2,6-anthrahydroquinone disulfonate (AHDS), an analog for reduced HS, as the electron donor with nitrate as the electron acceptor. Anaerobic organisms capable of utilizing reduced HS as an electron donor were found in all environments tested and ranged from a low of 2.31 x 10(1) in aquifer sediments to a high of 9.33 x 10(6) in lake sediments. As part of this study we isolated six novel organisms capable of anaerobic AHDS oxidation. All of the isolates coupled the oxidation of AHDS to the reduction of nitrate with acetate (0.1 mM) as the carbon source. In the absence of cells, no AHDS oxidation was apparent, and in the absence of AHDS, no cell density increase was observed. Generally, nitrate was reduced to N(2). Analysis of the AHDS and its oxidized form, 2,6-anthraquinone disulfonate (AQDS), in the medium during growth revealed that the anthraquinone was not being biodegraded as a carbon source and was simply being oxidized as an energy source. Determination of the AHDS oxidized and nitrate reduced accounted for 109% of the theoretical electron transfer. In addition to AHDS, all of these isolates could also couple the oxidation of reduced humic substances to the reduction of nitrate. No HS oxidation occurred in the absence of cells and in the absence of a suitable electron acceptor, demonstrating that these organisms were capable of utilizing natural HS as an energy source and that AHDS serves as a suitable analog for studying this metabolism. Alternative electron donors included

  5. Electron-transfer and acid-base properties of a two-electron oxidized form of quaterpyrrole that acts as both an electron donor and an acceptor.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Min; E, Wenbo; Ohkubo, Kei; Sanchez-Garcia, David; Yoon, Dae-Wi; Sessler, Jonathan L; Fukuzumi, Shunichi; Kadish, Karl M

    2008-02-21

    Electron-transfer interconversion between the four-electron oxidized form of a quaterpyrrole (abbreviated as P4 for four pyrroles) and the two-electron oxidized form (P4H2) as well as between P4H2 and its fully reduced form (P4H4) bearing analogous substituents in the alpha- and beta-pyrrolic positions was studied by means of cyclic voltammetry and UV-visible spectroelectrochemistry combined with ESR and laser flash photolysis measurements. The two-electron oxidized form, P4H2, acts as both an electron donor and an electron acceptor. The radical cation (P4H2*+) and radical anion (P4H2*-) are both produced by photoinduced electron transfer from dimeric 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide to P4H2, whereas the cation radical form of the compound is also produced by electron-transfer oxidation of P4H2 with [Ru(bpy)3]3+. The ESR spectra of P4H2*+ and P4H2*- were recorded at low temperature and exhibit spin delocalization over all four pyrrole units. Thus, the two-electron oxidized form of the quaterpyrrole (P4H2) displays redox and electronic features analogous to those seen in the case of porphyrins and may be considered as a simple, open-chain model of this well-studied tetrapyrrolic macrocycle. The dynamics of deprotonation from P4H2*+ and disproportionation of P4H2 were examined by laser flash photolysis measurements of photoinduced electron-transfer oxidation and reduction of P4H2, respectively.

  6. Chemostat Studies of TCE-Dehalogenating Anaerobic Consortia under Excess and Limited Electron Donor Addition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Semprini, L.; Azizian, M.; Green, J.; Mayer-Blackwell, K.; Spormann, A. M.

    2015-12-01

    Two cultures - the Victoria Strain (VS) and the Evanite Strain (EV), enriched with the organohalide respiring bacteria Dehalococcoides mccartyi - were grown in chemostats for more than 4 years at a mean cell residence time of 50 days. The slow doubling rate represents growth likely experienced in the subsurface. The chemostats were fed formate as an electron donor and trichloroethene (TCE) as the terminal electron acceptor. Under excess formate conditions, stable operation was observed with respect to TCE transformation, steady-state hydrogen (H2) concentrations (40 nM), and the structure of the dehalogenating community. Both cultures completely transformed TCE to ethene, with minor amounts of vinyl chloride (VC) observed, along with acetate formation. When formate was limited, TCE was transformed incompletely to ethene (40-60%) and VC (60- 40%), and H2 concentrations ranged from 1 to 3 nM. The acetate concentration dropped below detection. Batch kinetic studies of TCE transformation with chemostat harvested cells found transformation rates of c-DCE and VC were greatly reduced when the cells were grown with limited formate. Upon increasing formate addition to the chemostats, from limited to excess, essentially complete transformation of TCE to ethene was achieved. The increase in formate was associated with an increase in H2 concentration and the production of acetate. Results of batch kinetic tests showed increases in transformation rates for TCE and c-DCE by factors of 3.5 and 2.5, respectively, while VC rates increased by factors of 33 to 500, over a six month period. Molecular analysis of chemostat samples is being performed to quantify the changes in copy numbers of reductase genes and to determine whether shifts in the strains of Dehalococcoides mccartyi where responsible for the observed rate increases. The results demonstrate the importance of electron donor supply for successful in-situ remediation.

  7. Synthesis and photophysical properties of new catenated electron donor-acceptor materials with magnesium and free base porphyrins as donors and C60 as the acceptor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kirner, Sabrina V.; Guldi, Dirk M.; Megiatto, Jackson D., Jr.; Schuster, David I.

    2014-12-01

    A new series of nanoscale electron donor-acceptor systems with [2]catenane architectures has been synthesized, incorporating magnesium porphyrin (MgP) or free base porphyrin (H2P) as electron donor and C60 as electron acceptor, surrounding a central tetrahedral Cu(i)-1,10-phenanthroline (phen) complex. Model catenated compounds incorporating only one or none of these photoactive moieties were also prepared. The synthesis involved the use of Sauvage's metal template protocol in combination with the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azides and alkynes (``click chemistry''), as in other recent reports from our laboratories. Ground state electron interactions between the individual constituents was probed using electrochemistry and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, while events occurring following photoexcitation in tetrahydrofuran (under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions) at various wavelengths were followed by means of time-resolved transient absorption and emission spectroscopies on the femtosecond and nanosecond time scales, respectively, complemented by measurements of quantum yields for generation of singlet oxygen. From similar studies with model catenates containing one or neither of the chromophores, the events following photoexcitation could be elucidated. The results were compared with those previously reported for analogous catenates based on zinc porphyrin (ZnP). It was determined that a series of energy transfer (EnT) and electron transfer (ET) processes take place in the present catenates, ultimately generating long-distance charge separated (CS) states involving oxidized porphyrin and reduced C60 moieties, with lifetimes ranging from 400 to 1060 nanoseconds. Shorter lived short-distance CS states possessing oxidized copper complexes and reduced C60, with lifetimes ranging from 15 to 60 ns, were formed en route to the long-distance CS states. The dynamics of the ET processes were analyzed in terms of their thermodynamic driving forces. It was clear that

  8. Electron Donors Supporting Growth and Electroactivity of Geobacter sulfurreducens Anode Biofilms

    PubMed Central

    Speers, Allison M.

    2012-01-01

    Geobacter bacteria efficiently oxidize acetate into electricity in bioelectrochemical systems, yet the range of fermentation products that support the growth of anode biofilms and electricity production has not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we show that Geobacter sulfurreducens oxidized formate and lactate with electrodes and Fe(III) as terminal electron acceptors, though with reduced efficiency compared to acetate. The structure of the formate and lactate biofilms increased in roughness, and the substratum coverage decreased, to alleviate the metabolic constraints derived from the assimilation of carbon from the substrates. Low levels of acetate promoted formate carbon assimilation and biofilm growth and increased the system's performance to levels comparable to those with acetate only. Lactate carbon assimilation also limited biofilm growth and led to the partial oxidization of lactate to acetate. However, lactate was fully oxidized in the presence of fumarate, which redirected carbon fluxes into the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and by acetate-grown biofilms. These results expand the known ranges of electron donors for Geobacter-driven fuel cells and identify microbial constraints that can be targeted to develop better-performing strains and increase the performance of bioelectrochemical systems. PMID:22101036

  9. Haemostatic effects of adrenaline-lidocaine subcutaneous infiltration at donor sites.

    PubMed

    Gacto, P; Miralles, F; Pereyra, J J; Perez, A; Martínez, E

    2009-05-01

    This study sought methods in burn surgery to reduce postoperative pain and blood loss at donor sites. A prospective, randomised, controlled, blinded trial included 56 people undergoing burn surgery, divided into two groups. Both groups received subcutaneous infiltration at donor sites, with either 1:500,000 adrenaline solution containing added lidocaine or with 0.45% normal saline (controls). Outcome measurements included amount of intraoperative bleeding, need for electrocautery, days the hydrocolloid dressing remained on donor sites, percentage of re-epithelialised skin at donor sites 1 week after surgery and viability of skin grafts. Results indicated that subcutaneous adrenaline-lidocaine infiltration at donor sites reduced intraoperative bleeding, decreased postoperative pain, shortened the duration of surgery and general anaesthesia and accelerated re-epithelialisation at the donor site. The overall graft take in both groups was similar.

  10. Intramolecular Charge-Transfer Interaction of Donor-Acceptor-Donor Arrays Based on Anthracene Bisimide.

    PubMed

    Iwanaga, Tetsuo; Ogawa, Marina; Yamauchi, Tomokazu; Toyota, Shinji

    2016-05-20

    We designed anthracene bisimide (ABI) derivatives having two triphenylamine (TPA) groups as donor units at the 9,10-positions to form a novel π-conjugated donor-acceptor system. These compounds and their analogues with ethynylene linkers were synthesized by Suzuki-Miyaura and Sonogashira coupling reactions, respectively. In UV-vis spectra, the linker-free derivatives showed broad absorption bands arising from intramolecular charge-transfer interactions. Introducing ethynylene linkers resulted in a considerable red shift of the absorption bands. In fluorescence spectra, the ethynylene derivatives showed intense emission bands at 600-650 nm. Their photophysical and electrochemical properties were compared with those of the corresponding mono TPA derivatives on the basis of theoretical calculations and cyclic voltammetry to evaluate the intramolecular electronic interactions between the donor and acceptor units.

  11. Influence of Different Electron Donors and Acceptors on Dehalorespiration of Tetrachloroethene by Desulfitobacterium frappieri TCE1

    PubMed Central

    Gerritse, Jan; Drzyzga, Oliver; Kloetstra, Geert; Keijmel, Mischa; Wiersum, Luit P.; Hutson, Roger; Collins, Matthew D.; Gottschal, Jan C.

    1999-01-01

    Strain TCE1, a strictly anaerobic bacterium that can grow by reductive dechlorination of tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE), was isolated by selective enrichment from a PCE-dechlorinating chemostat mixed culture. Strain TCE1 is a gram-positive, motile, curved rod-shaped organism that is 2 to 4 by 0.6 to 0.8 μm and has approximately six lateral flagella. The pH and temperature optima for growth are 7.2 and 35°C, respectively. On the basis of a comparative 16S rRNA sequence analysis, this bacterium was identified as a new strain of Desulfitobacterium frappieri, because it exhibited 99.7% relatedness to the D. frappieri type strain, strain PCP-1. Growth with H2, formate, l-lactate, butyrate, crotonate, or ethanol as the electron donor depends on the availability of an external electron acceptor. Pyruvate and serine can also be used fermentatively. Electron donors (except formate and H2) are oxidized to acetate and CO2. When l-lactate is the growth substrate, strain TCE1 can use the following electron acceptors: PCE and TCE (to produce cis-1,2-dichloroethene), sulfite and thiosulfate (to produce sulfide), nitrate (to produce nitrite), and fumarate (to produce succinate). Strain TCE1 is not able to reductively dechlorinate 3-chloro-4-hydroxyphenylacetate. The growth yields of the newly isolated bacterium when PCE is the electron acceptor are similar to those obtained for other dehalorespiring anaerobes (e.g., Desulfitobacterium sp. strain PCE1 and Desulfitobacterium hafniense) and the maximum specific reductive dechlorination rates are 4 to 16 times higher (up to 1.4 μmol of chloride released · min−1 · mg of protein−1). Dechlorination of PCE and TCE is an inducible process. In PCE-limited chemostat cultures of strain TCE1, dechlorination is strongly inhibited by sulfite but not by other alternative electron acceptors, such as fumarate or nitrate. PMID:10583967

  12. Donor cycle and donor segmentation: new tools for improving blood donor management.

    PubMed

    Veldhuizen, I; Folléa, G; de Kort, W

    2013-07-01

    An adequate donor population is of key importance for the entire blood transfusion chain. For good donor management, a detailed overview of the donor database is therefore imperative. This study offers a new description of the donor cycle related to the donor management process. It also presents the outcomes of a European Project, Donor Management IN Europe (DOMAINE), regarding the segmentation of the donor population into donor types. Blood establishments (BEs) from 18 European countries, the Thalassaemia International Federation and a representative from the South-Eastern Europe Health Network joined forces in DOMAINE. A questionnaire assessed blood donor management practices and the composition of the donor population using the newly proposed DOMAINE donor segmentation. 48 BEs in 34 European countries were invited to participate. The response rate was high (88%). However, only 14 BEs could deliver data on the composition of their donor population. The data showed large variations and major imbalances in the donor population. In 79% of the countries, inactive donors formed the dominant donor type. Only in 21%, regular donors were the largest subgroup, and in 29%, the proportion of first-time donors was higher than the proportion of regular donors. Good donor management depends on a thorough insight into the flow of donors through their donor career. Segmentation of the donor database is an essential tool to understand the influx and efflux of donors. The DOMAINE donor segmentation helps BEs in understanding their donor database and to adapt their donor recruitment and retention practices accordingly. Ways to use this new tool are proposed. © 2013 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

  13. Characterization and attenuation study on tannin-added Rhizophora spp. particleboard at high energy photon and electron

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yusof, Mohd Fahmi Mohd; Hamid, Puteri Nor Khatijah Abd; Tajuddin, Abd Aziz; Abdullah, Reduan; Hashim, Rokiah; Bauk, Sabar; Isa, Norriza Mohd; Isa, Muhammad Jamal Md

    2017-01-01

    The effective atomic number of tannin-added Rhizophora spp. particleboards was determined based on elemental composition using Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDXA). The value of mass attenuation coefficients were measured using 137Cs and 60Co gamma energies. The attenuation properties of PDD curves and beam profile of tannin-added Rhizophora spp. particleboards were investigated using Gafchromic EBT2 film at 6 MV photon and 6 MeV electrons and compared to the value in water and solid water phantoms. The results showed that tannin-added Rhizophora spp. particleboards having effective atomic number close to the value of water. The mass attenuation coefficients were near to the value of water with χ2 values of 0.018 and 0.357 to 137Cs and 60Co gamma energies respectively. The PDD of tannin-added Rhizophora spp. particleboards at 6 MV photons showed good agreement within 3.21 and 5.91% to that in solid water phantoms and water respectively. The PDD at 6 MeV electrons showed a good agreement within 3.32 and 3.12% to that in solid water phantoms and water respectively. The depth of R50 and R90 in tannin-added Rhizophora spp. also showed a good agreement to that in water and solid water pahtoms. Lower surface dose was observed in tannin-added Rhizophora spp. particleboards at electron beams in comparison to solid water phantoms and water.

  14. Microbial Analysis of Donor Corneoscleral Rims and Storage Media.

    PubMed

    Tsui, Edmund; Luong, Preston M; Fogel, Jessa; Fogel, Erin S; Zegans, Michael E

    2018-05-03

    We aim to investigate bacterial and fungal cultures of hypothermic donor corneal storage media (Optisol-GS) and donor rims. All corneal transplants performed from January 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016 by a single surgeon at a single facility were retrospectively reviewed. Aerobic, anaerobic, and fungal cultures were routinely obtained from all donor rims and cornea storage media. Culture results and clinical courses were recorded. Eighty-four corneal transplants were performed. Five of 84 grafts (5.95%) had positive bacteria donor rim cultures. Fungal donor rim cultures were positive in 5/84 grafts (5.95%) of which two grew Candida spp. Storage media bacterial cultures were positive in 2/84 (2.4%) cultures. Storage media fungal cultures were positive in 1/84 (1.2%) cultures. No patients developed any evidence of clinical infection. Given the increasing rates of postkeratoplasty fungal infections, the identification of positive fungal cultures from donor rims and storage media warrants further evaluation of adding antifungals to storage media.

  15. A small electron donor in cobalt complex electrolyte significantly improves efficiency in dye-sensitized solar cells

    PubMed Central

    Hao, Yan; Yang, Wenxing; Zhang, Lei; Jiang, Roger; Mijangos, Edgar; Saygili, Yasemin; Hammarström, Leif; Hagfeldt, Anders; Boschloo, Gerrit

    2016-01-01

    Photoelectrochemical approach to solar energy conversion demands a kinetic optimization of various light-induced electron transfer processes. Of great importance are the redox mediator systems accomplishing the electron transfer processes at the semiconductor/electrolyte interface, therefore affecting profoundly the performance of various photoelectrochemical cells. Here, we develop a strategy—by addition of a small organic electron donor, tris(4-methoxyphenyl)amine, into state-of-art cobalt tris(bipyridine) redox electrolyte—to significantly improve the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells. The developed solar cells exhibit efficiency of 11.7 and 10.5%, at 0.46 and one-sun illumination, respectively, corresponding to a 26% efficiency improvement compared with the standard electrolyte. Preliminary stability tests showed the solar cell retained 90% of its initial efficiency after 250 h continuous one-sun light soaking. Detailed mechanistic studies reveal the crucial role of the electron transfer cascade processes within the new redox system. PMID:28000672

  16. Optimizing donor scheduling before recruitment: An effective approach to increasing apheresis platelet collections.

    PubMed

    Lokhandwala, Parvez M; Shike, Hiroko; Wang, Ming; Domen, Ronald E; George, Melissa R

    2018-01-01

    Typical approach for increasing apheresis platelet collections is to recruit new donors. Here, we investigated the effectiveness of an alternative strategy: optimizing donor scheduling, prior to recruitment, at a hospital-based blood donor center. Analysis of collections, during the 89 consecutive months since opening of donor center, was performed. Linear regression and segmented time-series analyses were performed to calculate growth rates of collections and to test for statistical differences, respectively. Pre-intervention donor scheduling capacity was 39/month. In the absence of active donor recruitment, during the first 29 months, the number of collections rose gradually to 24/month (growth-rate of 0.70/month). However, between month-30 and -55, collections exhibited a plateau at 25.6 ± 3.0 (growth-rate of -0.09/month) (p<0.0001). This plateau-phase coincided with donor schedule approaching saturation (65.6 ± 7.6% schedule booked). Scheduling capacity was increased by following two interventions: adding an apheresis instrument (month-56) and adding two more collection days/week (month-72). Consequently, the scheduling capacity increased to 130/month. Post-interventions, apheresis platelet collections between month-56 and -81 exhibited a spontaneous renewed growth at a rate of 0.62/month (p<0.0001), in absence of active donor recruitment. Active donor recruitment in month-82 and -86, when the donor schedule had been optimized to accommodate further growth, resulted in a dramatic but transient surge in collections. Apheresis platelet collections plateau at nearly 2/3rd of the scheduling capacity. Optimizing the scheduling capacity prior to active donor recruitment is an effective strategy to increase platelet collections at a hospital-based donor center.

  17. Time-resolved EPR study on the photoexcited triplet state of the electron-donor-acceptor complex formed in the system of fac-tris[2-(4-octyl-phenyl) pyridine] iridium(III) and tetracene.

    PubMed

    Zhebin, Fu; Shuhei, Yoshioka; Hisao, Murai

    2014-01-09

    The physical properties of the phosphorescent organic light-emitting diode material fac-tris(phenylpyridine) iridium(III), Ir(ppy)3, have been reported with experimental and theoretical studies. Here, the photochemical properties of the excited triplet state of partially modified fac-tris[2-(4-octyl-phenyl) pyridine] iridium(III), Ir(C8ppy)3, were investigated using time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (tr-EPR) and optical methods by adding tetracene in the toluene solution. The tr-EPR observation at 77 K revealed the following two species: the excited triplet state of tetracene and another triplet species with zero field splitting parameters of |D| = 0.088 cm(-1) and |E| = 0.018 cm(-1) with characteristic spin polarization. The latter species was assigned to the electron-donor-acceptor (EDA) complex formed between Ir(C8ppy)3 and tetracene. The mechanism of formation and the properties of this EDA complex, including the information on the principal axes of (3)Ir(C8ppy)3*, are discussed.

  18. Synchronous microbial vanadium (V) reduction and denitrification in groundwater using hydrogen as the sole electron donor.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Yufeng; Zhang, Baogang; He, Chao; Shi, Jiaxin; Borthwick, Alistair G L; Huang, Xueyang

    2018-05-21

    Groundwater co-contaminated by vanadium (V) (V(V)) and nitrate requires efficient remediation to prevent adverse environmental impacts. However, little is known about simultaneous bio-reductions of V(V) and nitrate supported by gaseous electron donors in aquifers. This study is among the first to examine microbial V(V) reduction and denitrification with hydrogen as the sole electron donor. V(V) removal efficiency of 91.0 ± 3.2% was achieved in test bioreactors within 7 d, with synchronous, complete removal of nitrate. V(V) was reduced to V(IV), which precipitated naturally under near-neutral conditions, and nitrate tended to be converted to nitrogen, both of which processes helped to purify the groundwater. Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) were produced from hydrogen oxidation. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metagenomic analyses revealed the evolutionary behavior of microbial communities and functional genes. The genera Dechloromonas and Hydrogenophaga promoted bio-reductions of V(V) and nitrate directly coupled to hydrogen oxidation. Enriched Geobacter and denitrifiers also indicated synergistic mechanism, with VFAs acting as organic carbon sources for heterotrophically functional bacteria while reducing V(V) and nitrate. These findings are likely to be useful in revealing biogeochemical fates of V(V) and nitrate in aquifer and developing technology for removing them simultaneously from groundwater. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Design of a New Fused-Ring Electron Acceptor with Excellent Compatibility to Wide-Bandgap Polymer Donors for High-Performance Organic Photovoltaics.

    PubMed

    Liu, Wenrui; Zhang, Jianyun; Zhou, Zichun; Zhang, Dongyang; Zhang, Yuan; Xu, Shengjie; Zhu, Xiaozhang

    2018-05-16

    Fused-ring electron acceptors (FREAs) have recently received intensive attention. Besides the continuing development of new FREAs, the demand for FREAs featuring good compatibility to donor materials is becoming more and more urgent, which is highly desirable for screening donor materials and achieving new breakthroughs. In this work, a new FREA is developed, ZITI, featuring an octacyclic dithienocyclopentaindenoindene central core. The core is designed by linking 2,7-dithienyl substituents and indenoindene with small methylene groups, in which the indeno[1,2-b]thiophene-2-(3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-ylidene)malononitrile part provides a large and unoccupied π-surface. Most notably, ZITI possesses an excellent compatibility with commercially available polymer donors, delivering very high power conversion efficiencies of over 13%. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Denitrification potential in stream sediments impacted by acid mine drainage: Effects of pH, various electron donors, and iron

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Baeseman, J.L.; Smith, R.L.; Silverstein, J.

    2006-01-01

    Acid mine drainage (AMD) contaminates thousands of kilometers of stream in the western United States. At the same time, nitrogen loading to many mountain watersheds is increasing because of atmospheric deposition of nitrate and increased human use. Relatively little is known about nitrogen cycling in acidic, heavy-metal-laden streams; however, it has been reported that one key process, denitrification, is inhibited under low pH conditions. The objective of this research was to investigate the capacity for denitrification in acidified streams. Denitrification potential was assessed in sediments from several Colorado AMD-impacted streams, ranging from pH 2.60 to 4.54, using microcosm incubations with fresh sediment. Added nitrate was immediately reduced to nitrogen gas without a lag period, indicating that denitrification enzymes were expressed and functional in these systems. First-order denitrification potential rate constants varied from 0.046 to 2.964 day-1. The pH of the microcosm water increased between 0.23 and 1.49 pH units during denitrification. Additional microcosm studies were conducted to examine the effects of initial pH, various electron donors, and iron (added as ferrous and ferric iron). Decreasing initial pH decreased denitrification; however, increasing pH had little effect on denitrification rates. The addition of ferric and ferrous iron decreased observed denitrification potential rate constants. The addition of glucose and natural organic matter stimulated denitrification potential. The addition of hydrogen had little effect, however, and denitrification activity in the microcosms decreased after acetate addition. These results suggest that denitrification can occur in AMD streams, and if stimulated within the environment, denitrification might reduce acidity. ?? Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2006.

  1. Arsenite as an electron donor for anoxygenic photosynthesis: Description of three strains of Ectothiorhodospria from Mono Lake, California, and Big Soda Lake, Nevada

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McCann, Shelley; Boren, Alison; Hernandez-Maldonado, Jaime; Stoneburner, Brendon; Saltikov, Chad W; Stolz, John F.; Oremland, Ronald S.

    2017-01-01

    Three novel strains of photosynthetic bacteria from the family Ectothiorhodospiraceae were isolated from soda lakes of the Great Basin Desert, USA by employing arsenite (As(III)) as the sole electron donor in the enrichment/isolation process. Strain PHS-1 was previously isolated from a hot spring in Mono Lake, while strain MLW-1 was obtained from Mono Lake sediment, and strain BSL-9 was isolated from Big Soda Lake. Strains PHS-1, MLW-1, and BSL-9 were all capable of As(III)-dependent growth via anoxygenic photosynthesis and contained homologs of arxA, but displayed different phenotypes. Comparisons were made with three related species: Ectothiorhodospira shaposhnikovii DSM 2111, Ectothiorhodospira shaposhnikovii DSM 243T, and Halorhodospira halophila DSM 244. All three type cultures oxidized arsenite to arsenate but did not grow with As(III) as the sole electron donor. DNA–DNA hybridization indicated that strain PHS-1 belongs to the same species as Ect. shaposhnikovii DSM 2111 (81.1% sequence similarity), distinct from Ect. shaposhnikovii DSM 243T (58.1% sequence similarity). These results suggest that the capacity for light-driven As(III) oxidation is a common phenomenon among purple photosynthetic bacteria in soda lakes. However, the use of As(III) as a sole electron donor to sustain growth via anoxygenic photosynthesis is confined to novel isolates that were screened for by this selective cultivation criterion.

  2. The electronic structure and second-order nonlinear optical properties of donor-acceptor acetylenes - A detailed investigation of structure-property relationships

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stiegman, A. E.; Graham, Eva; Khundkar, Lutfur R.; Perry, Joseph W.; Cheng, L.-T.; Perry, Kelly J.

    1991-01-01

    A series of donor-acceptor acetylene compounds was synthesized in which systematic changes in both the conjugation length and the donor-acceptor strength were made. The effect of these structural changes on the spectroscopic and electronic properties of the molecules and, ultimately, on the measured second-order molecular hyperpolarizabilities (beta) was investigated. It was found that increases in the donor-acceptor strength resulted in increases in the magnitude of beta. For this class of molecules, the increase is dominated by the energy of the intramolecular charge-transfer transition, while factors such as the ground to excited-state dipole moment change and the transition-moment integral are much less important. Increasing the conjugation length from one to two acetylene linkers did not result in an increase in the value of beta; however, beta increased sharply in going from two acetylenes to three. This increase is attributed to the superposition of several nearly isoenergetic excited states.

  3. Statistical exchange-coupling errors and the practicality of scalable silicon donor qubits

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, Yang; Das Sarma, S.

    2016-12-01

    Recent experimental efforts have led to considerable interest in donor-based localized electron spins in Si as viable qubits for a scalable silicon quantum computer. With the use of isotopically purified 28Si and the realization of extremely long spin coherence time in single-donor electrons, the recent experimental focus is on two-coupled donors with the eventual goal of a scaled-up quantum circuit. Motivated by this development, we simulate the statistical distribution of the exchange coupling J between a pair of donors under realistic donor placement straggles, and quantify the errors relative to the intended J value. With J values in a broad range of donor-pair separation ( 5 <|R |<60 nm), we work out various cases systematically, for a target donor separation R0 along the [001], [110] and [111] Si crystallographic directions, with |R0|=10 ,20 or 30 nm and standard deviation σR=1 ,2 ,5 or 10 nm. Our extensive theoretical results demonstrate the great challenge for a prescribed J gate even with just a donor pair, a first step for any scalable Si-donor-based quantum computer.

  4. Organic photosensitizers with a heteroleptic dual donor for dye-sensitized solar cells.

    PubMed

    Kim, Joo Young; Kim, Young Sik

    2012-04-01

    Using DFT and TDDFT calculations, we investigated the substitution effect in the electronic and optical properties of dye sensitizers with a dual donor composed of triphenylamine and/or indoline moieties. Due to replacement with the dual donor moieties, the HOMO levels were split into HOMO and HOMO - 1 levels, and the bandgaps between the HOMO and LUMO levels decreased, leading to the creation of bathochromically extended absorption spectra. Nearly degenerated splitting of the HOMO levels resulted from the similarity of the electronic structure between the HOMO and the HOMO - 1 levels, delocalized over both dual-donor moieties, when replacing the dual donors. It was shown that the additional electron-donating group creates an additional absorption band and causes a cascading two-electron process aiding the charge separation process. Owing to a more panchromatic attribute, easier energy transfer and feasible retardation of the recombination between the injected electrons and the electrolyte, it is expected that dyeTI will show better performance than the other dyes (dyeT dyeTT and dyeIT) as denoted here in terms of the conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). This work presents the probable benefits of dye sensitizers with dual-donor moieties and provides insight into the development of more efficient dye sensitizers for DSSCs through modification of the Frontier molecular orbitals.

  5. The ETHANOL-CO_2 Dimer is AN Electron Donor-Acceptor Complex

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McGuire, Brett A.; Martin-Drumel, Marie-Aline; McCarthy, Michael C.

    2017-06-01

    Supercritical (sc) CO_2 is a common industrial solvent for the extraction of caffeine, nicotine, petrochemicals, and natural products. The ability of apolar scCO_2 to dissolve polar solutes is greatly enhanced by the addition of a polar co-solvent, often methanol or ethanol. Experimental and theoretical work show that methanol interactions in scCO_2 are predominantly hydrogen bonding, while the gas-phase complex is an electron donor-acceptor (EDA) configuration. Ethanol, meanwhile, is predicted to form EDA complexes both in scCO_2 and in the gas phase, but there have been no experimental measurements to support this conclusion. Here, we report a combined chirped-pulse and cavity FTMW study of the ethanol-CO_2 complex. Comparison with theory indicates the EDA complex is dominant under our experimental conditions. We confirm the structure with isotopic substitution, and derive a semi-experimental equilibrium structure. Our results are consistent with theoretical predictions that the linearity of the CO_2 subgroup is broken by the complexation interaction.

  6. Influence of the Terminal Electron Donor in D-D-π-A Organic Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: Dithieno[3,2-b:2',3'-d]pyrrole versus Bis(amine).

    PubMed

    Dai, Panpan; Yang, Lin; Liang, Mao; Dong, Huanhuan; Wang, Peng; Zhang, Chunyao; Sun, Zhe; Xue, Song

    2015-10-14

    With respect to the electron-withdrawing acceptors of D-A-π-A organic dyes, reports on the second electron-donating donors for D-D-π-A organic dyes are very limited. Both of the dyes have attracted significant attention in the field of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). In this work, four new D-D-π-A organic dyes with dithieno[3,2-b:2',3'-d]pyrrole (DTP) or bis(amine) donor have been designed and synthesized for a investigation of the influence of the terminal electron donor in D-D-π-A organic dye-sensitized solar cells. It is found that DTP is a promising building block as the terminal electron donor when introduced in the dithiophenepyrrole direction, but not just a good bridge, which exhibits several characteristics: (i) efficiently increasing the maximum molar absorption coefficient and extending the absorption bands; (ii) showing stronger charge transfer interaction as compared with the pyrrole direction; (iii) beneficial to photocurrent generation of DSCs employing cobalt electrolytes. DSCs based on M45 with the Co-phen electrolyte exhibit good light-to-electric energy conversion efficiencies as high as 9.02%, with a short circuit current density (JSC) of 15.3 mA cm(-2), open circuit voltage (VOC) of 867 mV and fill factor (FF) of 0.68 under AM 1.5 illumination (100 mW cm(-2)). The results demonstrate that N,S-heterocycles such as DTP unit could be promising candidates for application in highly efficient DSCs employing cobalt electrolyte.

  7. In situ Bioreduction of Uranium (VI) in Groundwater and Sediments with Edible Oil as the Electron Donor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, W.; Watson, D. B.; Mehlhorn, T.; Zhang, G.; Earles, J.; Lowe, K.; Phillips, J.; Boyanov, M.; Kemner, K. M.; Schadt, C. W.; Brooks, S. C.; Criddle, C.; Jardine, P.

    2009-12-01

    In situ bioremediation of a uranium-contaminated aquifer was conducted at the US DOE Environmental Remediation Sciences Program (ERSP) Integrated Field Research Challenge (IFRC) site, in Oak Ridge, TN. Edible oil was tested as a slow-release electron donor for microbially mediated U (VI) reduction. Uranium contaminated sediments from the site were used in laboratory microcosm tests to study the feasibility of using this electron donor under anaerobic, ambient temperature conditions. Parallel microcosms were established using ethanol as electron donor for comparison. The tests also examined the impact of sulfate concentrations on U (VI) reduction. The oil was degraded by indigenous microorganisms with acetate as a major product but at a much slower rate than ethanol. The rapid removal of U (VI) from the aqueous phase occurred concurrently with acetate production and sulfate reduction. Initial U(VI) concentration in the aqueous phase increased with increased sulfate concentration (1 vs. 5 mM), likely due to U(VI) desorption from the solid phase, but more U(VI) was reduced with higher initial sulfate level. Finally, the bioreaction in microcosms progressed to methanogenesis. Subsequently, a field test with the edible oil was conducted in a highly permeable gravelly layer (hydraulic conductivity 0.076 cm/sec). Groundwater at the site contained 5-6 μM U; 1.0-1.2 mM sulfate; 3-4 mM Ca; pH 6.8. Diluted emulsified oil (20% solution) was injected into three injection wells within 2 hrs. Geochemical analysis of site groundwater demonstrated the sequential reduction of nitrate, Mn, Fe(III) and sulfate. Transient accumulation of acetate was observed as an intermediate in the oil degradation. Reduction and removal of uranium from groundwater was observed in all wells connected to the injection wells after 2-4 weeks. Uranium concentrations in groundwater were reduced to below 0.126 μM (EPA drinking water standard), at some well locations. Rebound of U in groundwater was

  8. Non-Heart-Beating Donor Program: Results After 3 Years of Experience.

    PubMed

    Martin-Villen, L; Revuelto-Rey, J; Aldabo-Pallas, T; Correa-Chamorro, E; Gallego-Corpa, A; Ruiz Del Portal-Ruiz Granados, P; Roncero-Rodriguez, M A; Egea-Guerrero, J J

    2015-11-01

    Non-heart-beating donation (NHBD) is a useful way to obtain organs and tissues. Therefore, since 2012 we have had an NHBD protocol in the metropolitan area of Seville. The aim of this work was to present the results obtained after 3 years of program. Prospective observational study carried out from 2012 to 2014. We included all patients with an extrahospitalary sudden death who did not survive despite cardiopulmonary resuscitation, becoming a potential donors (PD). Variables included number of consultations, PD, allowed donor (AD), real donor (RD), and family or legal refusals; minutes of out-hospital care, in-hospital care, cannulation, and perfusion of the RD; and number of organs and tissues removed and viable proportion. Nonallowed donors were grouped according to the discarding cause. We received 97 consultations, of which 40 were performed as PD. Of these, 24 were AD (60%) and 22 RD (55%). There were only 2 family refusals. In 2012, 10 patients were donors, 5 in 2013, and 7 in 2014. The out-hospital median time was 71 (interquartile range [IQR] 60-76) minutes, in-hospital 29 (26-34) minutes, cannulation 28 (24-33) minutes, and perfusion 135 (105-177) minutes. Eighteen tissues and 43 organs were extracted, of which 32 were implanted (75%), with kidneys (96%) being more frequent. Nonallowed donors numbered 12 in 2012, 4 in 2013, and 1 in 2014, and out-hospital causes were the most frequent discard reason. NHBD is a useful program in our city with a low refusal rate (8%), an average of 1.45 organs per donor, and kidney the most frequent organ. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Hydrogen Bond Donor/Acceptor Cosolvent-Modified Choline Chloride-Based Deep Eutectic Solvents.

    PubMed

    Pandey, Ashish; Bhawna; Dhingra, Divya; Pandey, Siddharth

    2017-04-27

    Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have emerged as nontoxic and inexpensive alternatives not only to the common organic solvents but to the ionic liquids as well. Some of the common and popular, and perhaps the most investigated, DESs are the ones comprising an ammonium salt and an appropriate hydrogen bond (HB) donor in a predetermined mole ratio. The formation of the DES is attributed to the H-bonding interaction(s) present between the salt and the HB donor. Consequently, addition of a predominantly HB donor or a predominantly HB acceptor cosolvent to such DESs may result in intriguing features and properties. We present investigation of two DESs constituted of salt choline chloride along with HB donors urea and glycerol, respectively, in 1:2 mol ratio, named reline and glyceline as the cosolvent of very high HB donating acidity and no HB accepting basicity 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) and of very high HB accepting basicity and no HB donating acidity hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA), respectively, is added. TFE shows up to 0.25 mole fraction miscibility with both reline and glyceline. While up to 0.25 mole fraction HMPA in glyceline results in transparent mixtures, this cosolvent is found to be completely immiscible with reline. From the perspective of the solvatochromic absorbance and fluorescence probes, it is established that the cybotactic region dipolarity within up to 0.25 mole fraction TFE/HMPA-added DES strongly depends on the functionalities present on the solute. Fourier transform infrared absorbance and Raman spectroscopic investigations reveal no major shifts in vibrational transitions as TFE/HMPA is added to the DES; spectral band broadening, albeit small, is observed nonetheless. Excess molar volumes and excess logarithmic viscosities of the mixtures indicate that while TFE may interstitially accommodate itself within H-bonded network of reline, it does appear to form H-bonds with the constituents of the glyceline. Increase in overall net repulsive

  10. Impact of Organic Carbon Electron Donors on Microbial Community Development under Iron- and Sulfate-Reducing Conditions

    DOE PAGES

    Kwon, Man Jae; O’Loughlin, Edward J.; Boyanov, Maxim I.; ...

    2016-01-22

    Although iron- and sulfate-reducing bacteria in subsurface environments have crucial roles in biogeochemical cycling of C, Fe, and S, how specific electron donors impact the compositional structure and activity of native iron- and/or sulfate-reducing communities is largely unknown. To understand this better, we created bicarbonate-buffered batch systems in duplicate with three different electron donors (acetate, lactate, or glucose) paired with ferrihydrite and sulfate as the electron acceptors and inoculated them with subsurface sediment as the microbial inoculum. Sulfate and ferrihydrite reduction occurred simultaneously and were faster with lactate than with acetate. 16S rRNA-based sequence analysis of the communities over timemore » revealed that Desulfotomaculum was the major driver for sulfate reduction coupled with propionate oxidation in lactate-amended incubations. The reduction of sulfate resulted in sulfide production and subsequent abiotic reduction of ferrihydrite. In contrast, glucose promoted faster reduction of ferrihydrite, but without reduction of sulfate. Interestingly, the glucose-amended incubations led to two different biogeochemical trajectories among replicate bottles that resulted in distinct coloration (white and brown). The two outcomes in geochemical evolution might be due to the stochastic evolution of the microbial communities or subtle differences in the initial composition of the fermenting microbial community and its development via the use of different glucose fermentation pathways available within the community. Synchrotron-based x-ray analysis indicated that siderite and amorphous Fe(II) were formed in the replicate bottles with glucose, while ferrous sulfide and vivianite were formed with lactate or acetate. As a result, these data sets reveal that use of different C utilization pathways projects significant changes in microbial community composition over time that uniquely impact both the geochemistry and mineralogy of

  11. Impact of Organic Carbon Electron Donors on Microbial Community Development under Iron- and Sulfate-Reducing Conditions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kwon, Man Jae; O’Loughlin, Edward J.; Boyanov, Maxim I.

    Although iron- and sulfate-reducing bacteria in subsurface environments have crucial roles in biogeochemical cycling of C, Fe, and S, how specific electron donors impact the compositional structure and activity of native iron- and/or sulfate-reducing communities is largely unknown. To understand this better, we created bicarbonate-buffered batch systems in duplicate with three different electron donors (acetate, lactate, or glucose) paired with ferrihydrite and sulfate as the electron acceptors and inoculated them with subsurface sediment as the microbial inoculum. Sulfate and ferrihydrite reduction occurred simultaneously and were faster with lactate than with acetate. 16S rRNA-based sequence analysis of the communities over timemore » revealed that Desulfotomaculum was the major driver for sulfate reduction coupled with propionate oxidation in lactate-amended incubations. The reduction of sulfate resulted in sulfide production and subsequent abiotic reduction of ferrihydrite. In contrast, glucose promoted faster reduction of ferrihydrite, but without reduction of sulfate. Interestingly, the glucose-amended incubations led to two different biogeochemical trajectories among replicate bottles that resulted in distinct coloration (white and brown). The two outcomes in geochemical evolution might be due to the stochastic evolution of the microbial communities or subtle differences in the initial composition of the fermenting microbial community and its development via the use of different glucose fermentation pathways available within the community. Synchrotron-based x-ray analysis indicated that siderite and amorphous Fe(II) were formed in the replicate bottles with glucose, while ferrous sulfide and vivianite were formed with lactate or acetate. As a result, these data sets reveal that use of different C utilization pathways projects significant changes in microbial community composition over time that uniquely impact both the geochemistry and mineralogy of

  12. Impact of Organic Carbon Electron Donors on Microbial Community Development under Iron- and Sulfate-Reducing Conditions.

    PubMed

    Kwon, Man Jae; O'Loughlin, Edward J; Boyanov, Maxim I; Brulc, Jennifer M; Johnston, Eric R; Kemner, Kenneth M; Antonopoulos, Dionysios A

    2016-01-01

    Although iron- and sulfate-reducing bacteria in subsurface environments have crucial roles in biogeochemical cycling of C, Fe, and S, how specific electron donors impact the compositional structure and activity of native iron- and/or sulfate-reducing communities is largely unknown. To understand this better, we created bicarbonate-buffered batch systems in duplicate with three different electron donors (acetate, lactate, or glucose) paired with ferrihydrite and sulfate as the electron acceptors and inoculated them with subsurface sediment as the microbial inoculum. Sulfate and ferrihydrite reduction occurred simultaneously and were faster with lactate than with acetate. 16S rRNA-based sequence analysis of the communities over time revealed that Desulfotomaculum was the major driver for sulfate reduction coupled with propionate oxidation in lactate-amended incubations. The reduction of sulfate resulted in sulfide production and subsequent abiotic reduction of ferrihydrite. In contrast, glucose promoted faster reduction of ferrihydrite, but without reduction of sulfate. Interestingly, the glucose-amended incubations led to two different biogeochemical trajectories among replicate bottles that resulted in distinct coloration (white and brown). The two outcomes in geochemical evolution might be due to the stochastic evolution of the microbial communities or subtle differences in the initial composition of the fermenting microbial community and its development via the use of different glucose fermentation pathways available within the community. Synchrotron-based x-ray analysis indicated that siderite and amorphous Fe(II) were formed in the replicate bottles with glucose, while ferrous sulfide and vivianite were formed with lactate or acetate. These data sets reveal that use of different C utilization pathways projects significant changes in microbial community composition over time that uniquely impact both the geochemistry and mineralogy of subsurface environments.

  13. Spectrophotometric and spectroscopic studies of charge transfer complex of 1-Naphthylamine as an electron donor with picric acid as an electron acceptor in different polar solvents

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh, Neeti; Ahmad, Afaq

    2010-08-01

    The charge transfer complex of 1-Naphthylamine as a donor with π-acceptor picric acid has been studied spectrophotometrically in different solvents at room temperature. The results indicate that the formation of charge transfer complex is high in less polar solvent. The stoichiometry of the complex was found to be 1:1 by straight line method. The data are analysed in terms of formation constant ( KCT), molar extinction coefficient ( ɛCT), standard free energy (Δ G o), oscillator strength ( ƒ), transition dipole moment ( μ EN), resonance energy ( R N) and ionization potential ( I D). It is concluded that the formation constant ( KCT) of the complex is found to be depends upon the nature of both electron acceptor and donor and also on the polarity of solvents. Further the charge transfer molecular complex between picric acid and 1-Naphthylamine is stabilized by hydrogen bonding.

  14. [Regulatory problems regarding bone marrow transplantation from non-consanguinous donors].

    PubMed

    Moratti, A

    1999-01-01

    The paper reports the normative rules and the Italian Ministry of Health administrative instructions concerning the bone marrow unrelated donor (MUD) search in the Italian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (IBMDR) and in international registries from the preliminary activation to a MUD bone marrow transplant (BMT), when a volunteer donor, perfectly compatible with a recipient lacking a HLA identical sibling, is found. The article describes all the expenses pertinent to the different stages of search and the documents necessary to obtain the reimbursement of these expenses. A very recent Ministry Decree establishing that all the search costs will be charged to the competent local sanitary authority is added.

  15. Organic electronic devices with multiple solution-processed layers

    DOEpatents

    Forrest, Stephen R.; Lassiter, Brian E.; Zimmerman, Jeramy D.

    2015-08-04

    A method of fabricating a tandem organic photosensitive device involves depositing a first layer of an organic electron donor type material film by solution-processing of the organic electron donor type material dissolved in a first solvent; depositing a first layer of an organic electron acceptor type material over the first layer of the organic electron donor type material film by a dry deposition process; depositing a conductive layer over the interim stack by a dry deposition process; depositing a second layer of the organic electron donor type material over the conductive layer by solution-processing of the organic electron donor type material dissolved in a second solvent, wherein the organic electron acceptor type material and the conductive layer are insoluble in the second solvent; depositing a second layer of an organic electron acceptor type material over the second layer of the organic electron donor type material film by a dry deposition process, resulting in a stack.

  16. Photosystem I from plants as a bacterial cytochrome P450 surrogate electron donor: terminal hydroxylation of branched hydrocarbon chains.

    PubMed

    Jensen, Kenneth; Johnston, Jonathan B; de Montellano, Paul R Ortiz; Møller, Birger Lindberg

    2012-02-01

    The ability of cytochrome P450 enzymes to catalyze highly regio- and stereospecific hydroxylations makes them attractive alternatives to approaches based on chemical synthesis but they require expensive cofactors, e.g. NAD(P)H, which limits their commercial potential. Ferredoxin (Fdx) is a multifunctional electron carrier that in plants accepts electrons from photosystem I (PSI) and facilitates photoreduction of NADP(+) to NADPH mediated by ferredoxin-NAD(P)H oxidoreductase (FdR). In bacteria, the electron flow is reversed and Fdx accepts electrons from NADPH via FdR and serves as the direct electron donor to bacterial P450s. By combining the two systems, we demonstrate that irradiation of PSI can drive the activity of a bacterial P450, CYP124 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The substitution of the costly cofactor NADPH with sunlight illustrates the potential of the light-driven hydroxylation system for biotechnology applications.

  17. Enhancement of diffraction efficiency and storage life of poly(vinyl chloride)-based optical recording medium with incorporation of an electron donor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    John, Beena Mary; Ushamani, M.; Sreekumar, K.; Joseph, Rani; Sudha Kartha, C.

    2007-01-01

    The diffraction efficiency, sensitivity, and storage life of methylene blue-sensitized poly(vinyl chloride) film was improved by the addition of an electron donor in the matrix. The addition of pyridine enhanced the diffraction efficiency by two times, and storage life of the gratings was increased to 2-3 days.

  18. Electrical Manipulation of Donor Spin Qubits in Silicon and Germanium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sigillito, Anthony James

    Many proposals for quantum information devices rely on electronic or nuclear spins in semiconductors because of their long coherence times and compatibility with industrial fabrication processes. One of the most notable qubits is the electron spin bound to phosphorus donors in silicon, which offers coherence times exceeding seconds at low temperatures. These donors are naturally isolated from their environments to the extent that silicon has been coined a "semiconductor vacuum". While this makes for ultra-coherent qubits, it is difficult to couple two remote donors so quantum information proposals rely on high density arrays of qubits. Here, single qubit addressability becomes an issue. Ideally one would address individual qubits using electric fields which can be easily confined. Typically these schemes rely on tuning a donor spin qubit onto and off of resonance with a magnetic driving field. In this thesis, we measure the electrical tunability of phosphorus donors in silicon and use the extracted parameters to estimate the effects of electric-field noise on qubit coherence times. Our measurements show that donor ionization may set in before electron spins can be sufficiently tuned. We therefore explore two alternative options for qubit addressability. First, we demonstrate that nuclear spin qubits can be directly driven using electric fields instead of magnetic fields and show that this approach offers several advantages over magnetically driven spin resonance. In particular, spin transitions can occur at half the spin resonance frequency and double quantum transitions (magnetic-dipole forbidden) can occur. In a second approach to realizing tunable qubits in semiconductors, we explore the option of replacing silicon with germanium. We first measure the coherence and relaxation times for shallow donor spin qubits in natural and isotopically enriched germanium. We find that in isotopically enriched material, coherence times can exceed 1 ms and are limited by a

  19. All-electric control of donor nuclear spin qubits in silicon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sigillito, Anthony J.; Tyryshkin, Alexei M.; Schenkel, Thomas; Houck, Andrew A.; Lyon, Stephen A.

    2017-10-01

    The electronic and nuclear spin degrees of freedom of donor impurities in silicon form ultra-coherent two-level systems that are potentially useful for applications in quantum information and are intrinsically compatible with industrial semiconductor processing. However, because of their smaller gyromagnetic ratios, nuclear spins are more difficult to manipulate than electron spins and are often considered too slow for quantum information processing. Moreover, although alternating current magnetic fields are the most natural choice to drive spin transitions and implement quantum gates, they are difficult to confine spatially to the level of a single donor, thus requiring alternative approaches. In recent years, schemes for all-electrical control of donor spin qubits have been proposed but no experimental demonstrations have been reported yet. Here, we demonstrate a scalable all-electric method for controlling neutral 31P and 75As donor nuclear spins in silicon. Using coplanar photonic bandgap resonators, we drive Rabi oscillations on nuclear spins exclusively using electric fields by employing the donor-bound electron as a quantum transducer, much in the spirit of recent works with single-molecule magnets. The electric field confinement leads to major advantages such as low power requirements, higher qubit densities and faster gate times. Additionally, this approach makes it possible to drive nuclear spin qubits either at their resonance frequency or at its first subharmonic, thus reducing device bandwidth requirements. Double quantum transitions can be driven as well, providing easy access to the full computational manifold of our system and making it convenient to implement nuclear spin-based qudits using 75As donors.

  20. On vibrational circular dichroism chirality transfer in electron donor-acceptor complexes: a prediction for the quinine···BF3 system.

    PubMed

    Rode, Joanna E; Jamróz, Michał H; Dobrowolski, Jan Cz; Sadlej, Joanna

    2012-08-02

    Vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) chirality transfer occurs when an achiral molecule interacts with a chiral one and becomes VCD-active. Unlike for H-bonds, for organic electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complexes this phenomenon remains almost unknown. Here, the VCD chirality transfer from chiral quinine to achiral BF3 is studied at the B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ level. Accessibility of four quinine electron donor sites changes with conformation. Therefore, the quinine conformational landscape was explored and a considerable agreement between X-ray and the most stable conformer geometries was achieved. The BF3 complex through the aliphatic quinuclidine N atom is definitely dominating and is predicted to be easily recognizable in the VCD spectrum. Out of several VCD chirality transfer modes, the ν(s)(BF3) mode, the most intense in the entire VCD spectrum, satisfies the VCD mode robustness criterion and can be used for monitoring the chirality transfer phenomenon in quinine···BF3 system.

  1. Scalable quantum computer architecture with coupled donor-quantum dot qubits

    DOEpatents

    Schenkel, Thomas; Lo, Cheuk Chi; Weis, Christoph; Lyon, Stephen; Tyryshkin, Alexei; Bokor, Jeffrey

    2014-08-26

    A quantum bit computing architecture includes a plurality of single spin memory donor atoms embedded in a semiconductor layer, a plurality of quantum dots arranged with the semiconductor layer and aligned with the donor atoms, wherein a first voltage applied across at least one pair of the aligned quantum dot and donor atom controls a donor-quantum dot coupling. A method of performing quantum computing in a scalable architecture quantum computing apparatus includes arranging a pattern of single spin memory donor atoms in a semiconductor layer, forming a plurality of quantum dots arranged with the semiconductor layer and aligned with the donor atoms, applying a first voltage across at least one aligned pair of a quantum dot and donor atom to control a donor-quantum dot coupling, and applying a second voltage between one or more quantum dots to control a Heisenberg exchange J coupling between quantum dots and to cause transport of a single spin polarized electron between quantum dots.

  2. Sulfide as a Chemoautotrophic Electron Donor for Dissimilatory Arsenate Reduction in Mono Lake, California

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoeft, S. E.; Kulp, T. R.; Stolz, J. S.; Oremland, R. S.

    2003-12-01

    In aqueous systems, arsenic occurs as arsenate [As(V)] or as arsenite [As(III)], with the latter form being more toxic and mobile. Mono Lake, California is a meromictic soda lake (pH = 9.8; salinity = 70-90 g/L) with exceptionally high arsenic content ( ˜200 μ M), a consequence of hydrothermal inputs combined with evaporative concentration. Previous work has shown that arsenic speciation changes from As(V) to the more reduced As(III) with vertical transition from the lake's surface oxic waters to its unmixed, anoxic bottom waters and that dissimilatory reduction is responsible for the observed change in arsenic speciation. Rates of in situ dissimilatory As(V) reduction measured by radiotracer ( ˜1- 6 μ mol/L/d) were estimated to be significant enough to mineralize up to 14% of annual primary productivity. Subsequent lab-based investigations with As(V)-amended ( ˜1-2 mM) bottom water displayed significantly higher rates (150-260 μ mol/L/d) of As(V) reduction and were not limited by the availability of organic electron donors such as acetate, lactate, malate and glucose. The focus of this study was to identify a natural source of electrons for As(V) reduction in Mono Lake. While Mono Lake contains plentiful dissolved organic carbon ( ˜7 mM) this material is usually refractory and resistant to bacterial oxidation. Alternatively, the anoxic bottom waters contain high concentrations of sulfide ions ( ˜1-2 mM) that could potentially serve as an electron donor for dissimilatory As(V) reduction. In a time course experiment with As(V)-amended Mono Lake bottom water, we observed oxidation of sulfide linked to the reduction of As(V) to As(III). This reaction did not occur in filter sterilized controls and sulfide loss did not occur in samples lacking As(V). In bottom water amended with additional sulfide (total = 6 mM) and As(V), we observed a linear relationship between rates of dissimilatory As(V) reduction and As(V) concentration. The highest rate observed under

  3. New acceptor-bridge-donor strategy for enhancing NLO response with long-range excess electron transfer from the NH2...M/M3O donor (M = Li, Na, K) to inside the electron hole cage C20F19 acceptor through the unusual σ chain bridge (CH2)4.

    PubMed

    Bai, Yang; Zhou, Zhong-Jun; Wang, Jia-Jun; Li, Ying; Wu, Di; Chen, Wei; Li, Zhi-Ru; Sun, Chia-Chung

    2013-04-04

    Using the strong electron hole cage C20F19 acceptor, the NH2...M/M3O (M = Li, Na, and K) complicated donors with excess electron, and the unusual σ chain (CH2)4 bridge, we construct a new kind of electride molecular salt e(-)@C20F19-(CH2)4-NH2...M(+)/M3O(+) (M = Li, Na, and K) with excess electron anion inside the hole cage (to be encapsulated excess electron-hole pair) serving as a new A-B-D strategy for enhancing nonlinear optical (NLO) response. An interesting push-pull mechanism of excess electron generation and its long-range transfer is exhibited. The excess electron is pushed out from the (super)alkali atom M/M3O by the lone pair of NH2 in the donor and further pulled inside the hole cage C20F19 acceptor through the efficient long σ chain (CH2)4 bridge. Owing to the long-range electron transfer, the new designed electride molecular salts with the excess electron-hole pair exhibit large NLO response. For the e(-)@C20F19-(CH2)4-NH2...Na(+), its large first hyperpolarizability (β0) reaches up to 9.5 × 10(6) au, which is about 2.4 × 10(4) times the 400 au for the relative e(-)@C20F20...Na(+) without the extended chain (CH2)4-NH2. It is shown that the new strategy is considerably efficient in enhancing the NLO response for the salts. In addition, the effects of different bridges and alkali atomic number on β0 are also exhibited. Further, three modulating factors are found for enhancing NLO response. They are the σ chain bridge, bridge-end group with lone pair, and (super)alkali atom. The new knowledge may be significant for designing new NLO materials and electronic devices with electrons inside the cages. They may also be the basis of establishing potential organic chemistry with electron-hole pair.

  4. An Effort to Increase Organ Donor Registration Through Intergroup Competition and Electronic Word of Mouth.

    PubMed

    Smith, Sandi W; Hitt, Rose; Park, Hee Sun; Walther, Joseph; Liang, Yuhua Jake; Hsieh, Gary

    2016-01-01

    The effort to increase Web organ donation registrations in Michigan by enhancing 2 types of university campaigns with social media strategies informed by social identity theory is the focus of this research. The two campaigns focused on either ingroup or rivalry outgroup social identification, and each was enhanced with individually focused social media in the first year of the campaign and with electronic word of mouth in Year 2 of the campaign. Results indicated that individually focused social media such as Facebook ads worked well in rivalry campaigns (in which registrations increased two times over baseline) but not in ingroup identification campaigns (in which registrations decreased significantly over baseline when ads were introduced in the first year of each type of campaign). Electronic word-of-mouth strategies worked well in both ingroup identification campaigns (in which registrations increased two times over baseline) and rivalry campaigns (in which registrations rose almost eight times over baseline, when strategies were introduced in the second year of each type of campaign).

  5. Support of Unrelated Stem Cell Donor Searches by Donor Center-Initiated HLA Typing of Potentially Matching Donors

    PubMed Central

    Schmidt, Alexander H.; Solloch, Ute V.; Baier, Daniel; Grathwohl, Alois; Hofmann, Jan; Pingel, Julia; Stahr, Andrea; Ehninger, Gerhard

    2011-01-01

    Large registries of potential unrelated stem cell donors have been established in order to enable stem cell transplantation for patients without HLA-identical related donors. Donor search is complicated by the fact that the stored HLA information of many registered donors is incomplete. We carried out a project that was aimed to improve chances of patients with ongoing donor searches to find an HLA-matched unrelated donor. For that purpose, we carried out additional donor center-initiated HLA-DRB1 typing of donors who were only typed for the HLA loci A and B so far and were potential matches for patients in need of a stem cell transplant. In total, 8,861 donors were contacted for donor center-initiated HLA-DRB1 typing within 1,089 donor searches. 12 of these donors have donated stem cells so far, 8 thereof for their respective target patients. We conclude that chances of patients with ongoing donor searches to find an HLA-matched unrelated donor can indeed be improved by donor-center initiated typing that is carried out in addition to the standard donor search process. Our results also raise questions regarding the appropriate use of incompletely typed donors within unrelated donor searches. PMID:21625451

  6. Long-range electron transfer in zinc-phthalocyanine-oligo(phenylene-ethynylene)-based donor-bridge-acceptor dyads.

    PubMed

    Göransson, Erik; Boixel, Julien; Fortage, Jérôme; Jacquemin, Denis; Becker, Hans-Christian; Blart, Errol; Hammarström, Leif; Odobel, Fabrice

    2012-11-05

    In the context of long-range electron transfer for solar energy conversion, we present the synthesis, photophysical, and computational characterization of two new zinc(II) phthalocyanine oligophenylene-ethynylene based donor-bride-acceptor dyads: ZnPc-OPE-AuP(+) and ZnPc-OPE-C(60). A gold(III) porphyrin and a fullerene has been used as electron accepting moieties, and the results have been compared to a previously reported dyad with a tin(IV) dichloride porphyrin as the electron acceptor (Fortage et al. Chem. Commun. 2007, 4629). The results for ZnPc-OPE-AuP(+) indicate a remarkably strong electronic coupling over a distance of more than 3 nm. The electronic coupling is manifested in both the absorption spectrum and an ultrafast rate for photoinduced electron transfer (k(PET) = 1.0 × 10(12) s(-1)). The charge-shifted state in ZnPc-OPE-AuP(+) recombines with a relatively low rate (k(BET) = 1.0 × 10(9) s(-1)). In contrast, the rate for charge transfer in the other dyad, ZnPc-OPE-C(60), is relatively slow (k(PET) = 1.1 × 10(9) s(-1)), while the recombination is very fast (k(BET) ≈ 5 × 10(10) s(-1)). TD-DFT calculations support the hypothesis that the long-lived charge-shifted state of ZnPc-OPE-AuP(+) is due to relaxation of the reduced gold porphyrin from a porphyrin ring based reduction to a gold centered reduction. This is in contrast to the faster recombination in the tin(IV) porphyrin based system (k(BET) = 1.2 × 10(10) s(-1)), where the excess electron is instead delocalized over the porphyrin ring.

  7. Revealing electronic open quantum systems with subsystem TDDFT.

    PubMed

    Krishtal, Alisa; Pavanello, Michele

    2016-03-28

    Open quantum systems (OQSs) are perhaps the most realistic systems one can approach through simulations. In recent years, describing OQSs with Density Functional Theory (DFT) has been a prominent avenue of research with most approaches based on a density matrix partitioning in conjunction with an ad-hoc description of system-bath interactions. We propose a different theoretical approach to OQSs based on partitioning of the electron density. Employing the machinery of subsystem DFT (and its time-dependent extension), we provide a novel way of isolating and analyzing the various terms contributing to the coupling between the system and the surrounding bath. To illustrate the theory, we provide numerical simulations on a toy system (a molecular dimer) and on a condensed phase system (solvated excimer). The simulations show that non-Markovian dynamics in the electronic system-bath interactions are important in chemical applications. For instance, we show that the superexchange mechanism of transport in donor-bridge-acceptor systems is a non-Markovian interaction between the donor-acceptor (OQS) with the bridge (bath) which is fully characterized by real-time subsystem time-dependent DFT.

  8. Revealing electronic open quantum systems with subsystem TDDFT

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krishtal, Alisa; Pavanello, Michele

    2016-03-01

    Open quantum systems (OQSs) are perhaps the most realistic systems one can approach through simulations. In recent years, describing OQSs with Density Functional Theory (DFT) has been a prominent avenue of research with most approaches based on a density matrix partitioning in conjunction with an ad-hoc description of system-bath interactions. We propose a different theoretical approach to OQSs based on partitioning of the electron density. Employing the machinery of subsystem DFT (and its time-dependent extension), we provide a novel way of isolating and analyzing the various terms contributing to the coupling between the system and the surrounding bath. To illustrate the theory, we provide numerical simulations on a toy system (a molecular dimer) and on a condensed phase system (solvated excimer). The simulations show that non-Markovian dynamics in the electronic system-bath interactions are important in chemical applications. For instance, we show that the superexchange mechanism of transport in donor-bridge-acceptor systems is a non-Markovian interaction between the donor-acceptor (OQS) with the bridge (bath) which is fully characterized by real-time subsystem time-dependent DFT.

  9. Voluntary whole-blood donors, and compensated platelet donors and plasma donors: motivation to donate, altruism and aggression.

    PubMed

    Trimmel, Michael; Lattacher, Helene; Janda, Monika

    2005-10-01

    To establish if voluntary whole-blood donors and compensated platelet donors and plasma donors may differ in their motivation to donate, altruism, aggression and autoaggression. Whole-blood (n=51), platelet (n=52) and plasma donors (n=48) completed a battery of validated questionnaires while waiting to donate. Bivariate and multivariate analyses of variance and t-tests were performed to detect differences between groups as noted. Altruism (mean=40.2) was slightly higher in whole-blood donors than in platelet (mean=38.3) and plasma donors (mean=39.1) (p=0.07). Blood donors (mean=2.8) scored lower in the spontaneous aggression measure than platelet (mean=4.1) and plasma donors (mean=4.4) (p=0.01). Plasma donors (mean=4.9) had higher auto-aggression than whole-blood donors and platelet donors (mean for both groups=3.4) (p=0.01). Differences between the three groups were mediated by sociodemographic variables (MANCOVA). Whole-blood donors donated to help others, platelet and plasma donors mostly to receive the compensation. However, those platelet and plasma donors, who would continue to donate without compensation were similar in altruism and aggression to whole-blood donors. While most platelet donors and plasma donors were motivated by the compensation, those who stated that they would continue to donate without compensation had altruism and aggression scores similar to voluntary whole-blood donors.

  10. Preferential inhibition of the plasma membrane NADH oxidase (NOX) activity by diphenyleneiodonium chloride with NADPH as donor

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Morre, D. James

    2002-01-01

    The cell-surface NADH oxidase (NOX) protein of plant and animal cells will utilize both NADH and NADPH as reduced electron donors for activity. The two activities are distinguished by a differential inhibition by the redox inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI). Using both plasma membranes and cells, activity with NADPH as donor was markedly inhibited by DPI at submicromolar concentrations, whereas with NADH as donor, DPI was much less effective or had no effect on the activity. The possibility of the inhibition being the result of two different enzymes was eliminated by the use of a recombinant NOX protein. The findings support the concept that NOX proteins serve as terminal oxidases for plasma membrane electron transport involving cytosolic reduced pyridine nucleotides as the natural electron donors and with molecular oxygen as the electron acceptor.

  11. The role of amino acid electron-donor/acceptor atoms in host-cell binding peptides is associated with their 3D structure and HLA-binding capacity in sterile malarial immunity induction

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Patarroyo, Manuel E., E-mail: mepatarr@mail.com; Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota; Almonacid, Hannia

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Fundamental residues located in some HABPs are associated with their 3D structure. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Electron-donor atoms present in {beta}-turn, random, distorted {alpha}-helix structures. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Electron-donor atoms bound to HLA-DR53. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Electron-acceptor atoms present in regular {alpha}-helix structure bound to HLA-DR52. -- Abstract: Plasmodium falciparum malaria continues being one of the parasitic diseases causing the highest worldwide mortality due to the parasite's multiple evasion mechanisms, such as immunological silence. Membrane and organelle proteins are used during invasion for interactions mediated by high binding ability peptides (HABPs); these have amino acids which establish hydrogen bonds between them in some of theirmore » critical binding residues. Immunisation assays in the Aotus model using HABPs whose critical residues had been modified have revealed a conformational change thereby enabling a protection-inducing response. This has improved fitting within HLA-DR{beta}1{sup Asterisk-Operator} molecules where amino acid electron-donor atoms present in {beta}-turn, random or distorted {alpha}-helix structures preferentially bound to HLA-DR53 molecules, whilst HABPs having amino acid electron-acceptor atoms present in regular {alpha}-helix structure bound to HLA-DR52. This data has great implications for vaccine development.« less

  12. Donor ionization in size controlled silicon nanocrystals: The transition from defect passivation to free electron generation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crowe, I. F.; Papachristodoulou, N.; Halsall, M. P.; Hylton, N. P.; Hulko, O.; Knights, A. P.; Yang, P.; Gwilliam, R. M.; Shah, M.; Kenyon, A. J.

    2013-01-01

    We studied the photoluminescence spectra of silicon and phosphorus co-implanted silica thin films on (100) silicon substrates as a function of isothermal annealing time. The rapid phase segregation, formation, and growth dynamics of intrinsic silicon nanocrystals are observed, in the first 600 s of rapid thermal processing, using dark field mode X-TEM. For short annealing times, when the nanocrystal size distribution exhibits a relatively small mean diameter, formation in the presence of phosphorus yields an increase in the luminescence intensity and a blue shift in the emission peak compared with intrinsic nanocrystals. As the mean size increases with annealing time, this enhancement rapidly diminishes and the peak energy shifts further to the red than the intrinsic nanocrystals. These results indicate the existence of competing pathways for the donor electron, which depends strongly on the nanocrystal size. In samples containing a large density of relatively small nanocrystals, the tendency of phosphorus to accumulate at the nanocrystal-oxide interface means that ionization results in a passivation of dangling bond (Pb-centre) type defects, through a charge compensation mechanism. As the size distribution evolves with isothermal annealing, the density of large nanocrystals increases at the expense of smaller nanocrystals, through an Ostwald ripening mechanism, and the majority of phosphorus atoms occupy substitutional lattice sites within the nanocrystals. As a consequence of the smaller band-gap, ionization of phosphorus donors at these sites increases the free carrier concentration and opens up an efficient, non-radiative de-excitation route for photo-generated electrons via Auger recombination. This effect is exacerbated by an enhanced diffusion in phosphorus doped glasses, which accelerates silicon nanocrystal growth.

  13. Synthesis, and spectroscopic studies of charge transfer complex of 1,2-dimethylimidazole as an electron donor with π-acceptor 2,4-dinitro-1-naphthol in different polar solvents

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miyan, Lal; Khan, Ishaat M.; Ahmad, Afaq

    2015-07-01

    The charge transfer (CT) complex of 1,2-dimethylimidazole (DMI) as an electron donor with π acceptor 2,4-dinitro-1-naphthol (DNN) has been studied spectrophotometrically in different solvents like chloroform, acetonitrile, methanol, methylene chloride, etc. at room temperature. The CT complex which is formed through the transfer of lone pair electrons from DMI to DNN exhibits well resolved CT bands and the regions of these bands were remarkably different from those of the donor and acceptor. The stoichiometry of the CT complex was found to be 1:1 by a straight-line method between donor and acceptor with maximum absorption bands. The novel CT complex has been characterized by FTIR, TGA-DTA, powder XRD, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopic techniques. The Benesi-Hildebrand equation has been used to determine the formation constant (KCT), molar extinction coefficient (εCT), standard gibbs free energy (ΔG°) and other physical parameters of the CT complex. The formation constant recorded higher values and molar extinction coefficient recorded lower values in chloroform compared with methylene chloride, methanol and acetonitrile, confirming the strong interaction between the molecular orbital's of donor and acceptor in the ground state in less polar solvent. This CT complex has been studied by absorption spectra of donor 1,2-dimethylimidazole (DMI) and acceptor 2,4-dinitro-1-naphthol (DNN) by using the spectrophotometric technique in various solvents at room temperature.

  14. Predicting Catalytic Proton Donors and Nucleophiles in Enzymes: How Adding Dynamics Helps Elucidate the Structure-Function Relationships.

    PubMed

    Huang, Yandong; Yue, Zhi; Tsai, Cheng-Chieh; Henderson, Jack A; Shen, Jana

    2018-03-15

    Despite the relevance of understanding structure-function relationships, robust prediction of proton donors and nucleophiles in enzyme active sites remains challenging. Here we tested three types of state-of-the-art computational methods to calculate the p K a 's of the buried and hydrogen bonded catalytic dyads in five enzymes. We asked the question what determines the p K a order, i.e., what makes a residue proton donor vs a nucleophile. The continuous constant pH molecular dynamics simulations captured the experimental p K a orders and revealed that the negative nucleophile is stabilized by increased hydrogen bonding and solvent exposure as compared to the proton donor. Surprisingly, this simple trend is not apparent from crystal structures and the static structure-based calculations. While the generality of the findings awaits further testing via a larger set of data, they underscore the role of dynamics in bridging enzyme structures and functions.

  15. Evaluation of process excellence tools in improving donor flow management in a tertiary care hospital in South India

    PubMed Central

    Venugopal, Divya; Rafi, Aboobacker Mohamed; Innah, Susheela Jacob; Puthayath, Bibin T.

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Process Excellence is a value based approach and focuses on standardizing work processes by eliminating the non-value added processes, identify process improving methodologies and maximize capacity and expertise of the staff. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: To Evaluate the utility of Process Excellence Tools in improving Donor Flow Management in a Tertiary care Hospital by studying the current state of donor movement within the blood bank and providing recommendations for eliminating the wait times and to improve the process and workflow. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The work was done in two phases; The First Phase comprised of on-site observations with the help of an expert trained in Process Excellence Methodology who observed and documented various aspects of donor flow, donor turn around time, total staff details and operator process flow. The Second Phase comprised of constitution of a Team to analyse the data collected. The analyzed data along with the recommendations were presented before an expert hospital committee and the management. RESULTS: Our analysis put forward our strengths and identified potential problems. Donor wait time was reduced by 50% after lean due to better donor management with reorganization of the infrastructure of the donor area. Receptionist tracking showed that 62% of the total time the staff wastes in walking and 22% in other non-value added activities. Defining Duties for each staff reduced the time spent by them in non-value added activities. Implementation of the token system, generation of unique identification code for donors and bar code labeling of the tubes and bags are among the other recommendations. CONCLUSION: Process Excellence is not a programme; it's a culture that transforms an organization and improves its Quality and Efficiency through new attitudes, elimination of wastes and reduction in costs. PMID:28970681

  16. Evaluation of process excellence tools in improving donor flow management in a tertiary care hospital in South India.

    PubMed

    Venugopal, Divya; Rafi, Aboobacker Mohamed; Innah, Susheela Jacob; Puthayath, Bibin T

    2017-01-01

    Process Excellence is a value based approach and focuses on standardizing work processes by eliminating the non-value added processes, identify process improving methodologies and maximize capacity and expertise of the staff. To Evaluate the utility of Process Excellence Tools in improving Donor Flow Management in a Tertiary care Hospital by studying the current state of donor movement within the blood bank and providing recommendations for eliminating the wait times and to improve the process and workflow. The work was done in two phases; The First Phase comprised of on-site observations with the help of an expert trained in Process Excellence Methodology who observed and documented various aspects of donor flow, donor turn around time, total staff details and operator process flow. The Second Phase comprised of constitution of a Team to analyse the data collected. The analyzed data along with the recommendations were presented before an expert hospital committee and the management. Our analysis put forward our strengths and identified potential problems. Donor wait time was reduced by 50% after lean due to better donor management with reorganization of the infrastructure of the donor area. Receptionist tracking showed that 62% of the total time the staff wastes in walking and 22% in other non-value added activities. Defining Duties for each staff reduced the time spent by them in non-value added activities. Implementation of the token system, generation of unique identification code for donors and bar code labeling of the tubes and bags are among the other recommendations. Process Excellence is not a programme; it's a culture that transforms an organization and improves its Quality and Efficiency through new attitudes, elimination of wastes and reduction in costs.

  17. Rational Design of High-Performance Wide-Bandgap (≈2 eV) Polymer Semiconductors as Electron Donors in Organic Photovoltaics Exhibiting High Open Circuit Voltages (≈1 V).

    PubMed

    Chochos, Christos L; Katsouras, Athanasios; Gasparini, Nicola; Koulogiannis, Chrysanthos; Ameri, Tayebeh; Brabec, Christoph J; Avgeropoulos, Apostolos

    2017-01-01

    Systematic optimization of the chemical structure of wide-bandgap (≈2.0 eV) "donor-acceptor" copolymers consisting of indacenodithiophene or indacenodithieno[3,2-b]thiophene as the electron-rich unit and thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione as the electron-deficient moiety in terms of alkyl side chain engineering and distance of the electron-rich and electron-deficient monomers within the repeat unit of the polymer chain results in high-performance electron donor materials for organic photovoltaics. Specifically, preliminary results demonstrate extremely high open circuit voltages (V oc s) of ≈1.0 V, reasonable short circuit current density (J sc ) of around 11 mA cm -2 , and moderate fill factors resulting in efficiencies close to 6%. All the devices are fabricated in an inverted architecture with the photoactive layer processed by doctor blade equipment, showing the compatibility with roll-to-roll large-scale manufacturing processes. From the correlation of the chemical structure-optoelectronic properties-photovoltaic performance, a rational guide toward further optimization of the chemical structure in this family of copolymers, has been achieved. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Rationalizing the photophysical properties of BODIPY laser dyes via aromaticity and electron-donor-based structural perturbations

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Waddell, Paul G.; Liu, Xiaogang; Zhao, Teng

    2015-05-01

    The absorption and fluorescence properties of six boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) laser dyes with simple non-aromatic substituents are rationalized by relating them to observable structural perturbations within the molecules of the dyes. An empirical relationship involving the structure and the optical properties is derived using a combination of single-crystal X-ray diffraction data, quantum chemical calculations and electronic constants: i.e. the tendency of the pyrrole bond lengths towards aromaticity and the UV-vis absorption and fluorescence wavelengths correlating with the electron-donor properties of the substituents. The effect of molecular conformation on the solid-state optical properties of the dyes is also discussed. The findingsmore » in this study also demonstrate the usefulness and limitations of using crystal structure data to develop structure-property relationships in this class of optical materials, contributing to the growing effort to design optoelectronic materials with tunable properties via molecular engineering.« less

  19. Donor Outcomes in Living Donor Liver Transplantation-Analysis of 275 Donors From a Single Centre in India.

    PubMed

    Narasimhan, Gomathy; Safwan, Mohamed; Kota, Venugopal; Reddy, Mettu S; Bharathan, Anand; Dabora, Abderrhaim; Kaliamoorthy, Ilankumaran; Kanagavelu, Rathnavel G; Srinivasan, Vijaya; Rela, Mohamed

    2016-06-01

    Live donor liver transplantation is the predominant form of liver transplantation in India and in most Asian countries. Donor outcome reports are an important source of information to be shared with prospective donors at the time of informed consent. This is the first donor outcome series from India. Analysis of donor characteristics and morbidity of 275 live donors from a single large volume center is documented. Two hundred seventy-five patients donated from November 2009 to October 2014, 144 were women and 131 were men, 180 donated to adults and 95 donated to children. Right lobe donors were majority at 62.2% followed by left lateral segment 28%. Two thirds of the live donors did not have any morbidity; 114 complications were encountered in 85 patients. The complications were graded as per Clavien 5 tier grading and major morbidity (grade III b, grade IV grade V) was 4.36%. Postoperative biliary complication was seen in 3 donors. This large single-center study is the first donor outcome report from India, and the results are comparable to other published donor series. Documentation and regular audit of donor outcomes is important to help improve the safety of donor hepatectomy and to provide a database for informed consent of prospective donors.

  20. Cost analysis of living donor liver transplantation: the first Italian economical data.

    PubMed

    Passarani, S; De Carlis, L; Maione, G; Alberti, A B; Bevilacqua, L; Baraldi, S

    2007-10-01

    Over a period of 30 months, the Niguarda Ca'Granda Hospital performed 12 living donor liver transplants (LDLT) on adult subjects using the split-liver technique and transplant of the right lobe. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the financial obligation that this technique will bring, the ethical and cultural aspects, and the mortality related to surgery on a healthy donor whose only reward is in the knowledge of having done everything possible for a loved family member. The analysis of the costs of the surgical process takes into account the simultaneous consideration of both types of patients: the donor and the recipient. The diagnostic course is subdivided into seven functional phases of the cost centers, and the transitory sequences of the foreseeable events of the entire process. The method used consists in the appraisal of all the clinical activities in chronological order several the centers of cost. The direct expenses are evaluated according to an analytical method, and the indirect costs has been carried out on the criterion of the activities of support to the process (management of the orders, recording and programming of the activities) and support to the organization (maintenance, management supplying and contests of contract, programming of the business production, management warehouses, supplyings, marketing and relations with the public). The cost of all the patients evaluated that were not able to donate has been added to the direct expenses of 12 donor and 12 recipient patients, in all 30 patients, so as to shift the added expenses only to the donor patient, since these costs are not included in the typical costs of transplantation from a cadaver. The indirect cost calculated for each patient has been added to the direct costs of the donor and recipient patients. The total calculated cost of LDLT is 175, 210.78 Euros. The analysis of the economical obligation that this practice brings is the starting point for an accurate evaluation of all

  1. On chirality transfer in electron donor-acceptor complexes. A prediction for the sulfinimine···BF3 system.

    PubMed

    Rode, Joanna E; Dobrowolski, Jan Cz

    2012-01-01

    Stabilization energies of the electron donor-acceptor sulfinimine···BF(3) complexes calculated at either the B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ or the MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ level do not allow to judge, whether the N- or O-atom in sulfinimine is stronger electron-donor to BF(3) . The problem seems to be solvable because chirality transfer phenomenon between chiral sulfinimine and achiral BF(3) is expected to be vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) active. Moreover, the bands associated with the achiral BF(3) molecule are predicted to be the most intense in the entire spectrum. However, the VCD band robustness analyses show that most of the chirality transfer modes of BF(3) are unreliable. Conversely, variation of VCD intensity with change of intermolecular distance, angle, and selected dihedrals between the complex partners shows that to establish the robustness of chirality transfer mode. It is also necessary to determine the influence of the potential energy surface (PES) shape on the VCD intensity. At the moment, there is still no universal criterion for the chirality transfer mode robustness and the conclusions formulated based on one system cannot be directly transferred even to a quite similar one. However, it is certain that more attention should be focused on relation of PES shape and the VCD mode robustness problem. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Impact of Thermal Annealing on Organic Photovoltaic Cells Using Regioisomeric Donor-Acceptor-Acceptor Molecules.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Tao; Han, Han; Zou, Yunlong; Lee, Ying-Chi; Oshima, Hiroya; Wong, Ken-Tsung; Holmes, Russell J

    2017-08-02

    We report a promising set of donor-acceptor-acceptor (D-A-A) electron-donor materials based on coplanar thieno[3,2-b]/[2,3-b]indole, benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole, and dicyanovinylene, which are found to show broadband absorption with high extinction coefficients. The role of the regioisomeric electron-donating thienoindole moiety on the physical and structural properties is examined. Bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs) based on the thieno[2,3-b]indole-based electron donor NTU-2, using C 70 as an electron acceptor, show a champion power conversion efficiency of 5.2% under AM 1.5G solar simulated illumination. This efficiency is limited by a low fill factor (FF), as has previously been the case in D-A-A systems. In order to identify the origin of the limited FF, further insight into donor layer charge-transport behavior is realized by examining planar heterojunction OPVs, with emphasis on the evolution of film morphology with thermal annealing. Compared to as-deposited OPVs that exhibit insufficient donor crystallinity, crystalline OPVs based on annealed thin films show an increase in the short-circuit current density, FF, and power conversion efficiency. These results suggest that that the crystallization of D-A-A molecules might not be realized spontaneously at room temperature and that further processing is needed to realize efficient charge transport in these materials.

  3. Deceased donor renal transplantation from older donors to increase the donor pool.

    PubMed

    Kute, Vivek B; Trivedi, Hargovind L; Vanikar, Aruna V; Shah, Pankaj R; Gumber, Manoj R; Patel, Himanshu V; Modi, Pranjal R; Shah, Veena R

    2012-09-01

    Use of kidneys from donors aged 70 years and older is controversial. Organ shortage has led many transplant centers to accept kidneys from old, suboptimal deceased donors and make increasing use of old-for-old allocation systems. We describe our institutional experience with outcomes from transplanting deceased-donor kidneys from older donors (=70 years). 20 deceased donor renal transplants (DDRTx) were performed at our center using grafts from deceased donors 70 years and older between June 2004 and September 2011. Kidneys were allocated to dual or single grafting according to pre-transplant biopsy. Mean age of recipients was 47.60 ± 11.38 years, 13 of whom were males. Mean donor age was 76.49 ± 4.9 years; 10 of whom were males. The most common cause of donor death was cerebrovascular/road traffic accidents. Mean dialysis duration pre-transplantation was 19.5 ± 6.5 months. Mean HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigens) match was 1 ± 0.8. Most common recipient diseases leading to ESRD were chronic glomerulonephritis (25%), diabetes (20%), and hypertension (20%). Post-transplant immunosuppression consisted of a calcineurin inhibitor-based regimen. Over a mean follow-up of 2.8 ± 1.7 years, patient and graft survival rates were 75% (n = 15) and 80% ( n = 16), respectively, with a mean serum creatinine of 1.78 ± 0.56 mg/dl; 20% of the patients had biopsy-proven acute rejection episodes. A total of 25% (n = 5) patients died, mainly due to infections. DDRTx from older donors achieves acceptable graft function with patient/graft survival, provided that organs are allocated to dual or single grafting according to pre-transplant biopsy. These findings encourage the use of this approach even in low-income countries.

  4. Effects of different electron donor feeding patterns on TCE reductive dechlorination performance.

    PubMed

    Panagiotakis, I; Antoniou, K; Mamais, D; Pantazidou, M

    2015-03-01

    This study investigates how the feeding pattern of e(-) donors might affect the efficiency of enhanced in situ bioremediation in TCE-contaminated aquifers. A series of lab-scale batch experiments were conducted using butyrate or hydrogen gas (H2) as e(-) donor and a TCE-dechlorinating microbial consortium dominated by Dehalococcoides spp. The results of these experiments demonstrate that butyrate is similarly efficient for TCE dechlorination whether it is injected once or in doses. Moreover, the present work indicates that the addition of butyrate in great excess cannot be avoided, since it most likely provide, even indirectly, significant part of the H2 required. Furthermore, methanogenesis appears to be the major ultimate e(-) accepting process in all experiments, regardless the e(-) donor used and the feeding pattern. Finally, the timing of injection of H2 seems to significantly affect dechlorination performance, since the injection during the early stages improves VC-to-ETH dechlorination and reduce methanogenic activity.

  5. Coenzyme preference of Streptococcus pyogenes δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase: evidence supporting NADPH as the physiological electron donor.

    PubMed

    Petrollino, Davide; Forlani, Giuseppe

    2012-07-01

    The streptococcal enzyme that catalyzes the last step in proline biosynthesis was heterologously expressed and the recombinant protein was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity and characterized thoroughly. As for δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductases from other sources, it was able to use either NADH or NADPH as the electron donor in vitro. However, with NADH the activity was markedly inhibited by physiological levels of NADP+. Results also strengthen the possibility that an unusual ordered substrate binding occurs, in which the dinucleotide binds last.

  6. Synthesis and Characterization of Organic Dyes Containing Various Donors and Acceptors

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Tzi-Yi; Tsao, Ming-Hsiu; Chen, Fu-Lin; Su, Shyh-Gang; Chang, Cheng-Wen; Wang, Hong-Paul; Lin, Yuan-Chung; Ou-Yang, Wen-Chung; Sun, I-Wen

    2010-01-01

    New organic dyes comprising carbazole, iminodibenzyl, or phenothiazine moieties, respectively, as the electron donors, and cyanoacetic acid or acrylic acid moieties as the electron acceptors/anchoring groups were synthesized and characterized. The influence of heteroatoms on carbazole, iminodibenzyl and phenothiazine donors, and cyano-substitution on the acid acceptor is evidenced by spectral, electrochemical, photovoltaic experiments, and density functional theory calculations. The phenothiazine dyes show solar-energy-to-electricity conversion efficiency (η) of 3.46–5.53%, whereas carbazole and iminodibenzyl dyes show η of 2.43% and 3.49%, respectively. PMID:20162019

  7. Influence of electron donors and copper concentration on geochemical and mineralogical processes under conditions of biological sulphate reduction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wolicka, Dorota; Borkowski, Andrzej

    2014-03-01

    Sulphidogenous microorganism communities were isolated from soil polluted by crude oil. The study was focused on determining the influence of 1) copper (II) concentration on the activity of selected microorganism communities and 2) the applied electron donor on the course and evolution of mineral-forming processes under conditions favouring growth of sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB). The influence of copper concentration on the activity of selected microorganism communities and the type of mineral phases formed was determined during experiments in which copper (II) chloride at concentrations of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 and 0.7 g/L was added to SRB cultures. The experiments were performed in two variants: with ethanol (4 g/L) or lactate (4 g/L) as the sole carbon source. In order to determine the taxonomic composition of the selected microorganism communities, the 16S rRNA method was used. Results of this analysis confirmed the presence of Desulfovibrio, Desulfohalobium, Desulfotalea, Thermotoga, Solibacter, Gramella, Anaeromyxobacter and Myxococcus sp. in the stationary cultures. The post-culture sediments contained covelline (CuS) and digenite (Cu9S5 ). Based on the results, it can be stated that the type of carbon source applied during incubation plays a crucial role in determining the mineral composition of the post-culture sediments. Thus, regardless of the amount of copper ion introduced to a culture with lactate as the sole carbon source, no copper sulphide was observed in the post-culture sediments. Cultures with ethanol as the sole carbon source, on the other hand, yielded covelline or digenite in all post-culture sediments.

  8. Spectral engineering in π-conjugated polymers with intramolecular donor-acceptor interactions.

    PubMed

    Beaujuge, Pierre M; Amb, Chad M; Reynolds, John R

    2010-11-16

    With the development of light-harvesting organic materials for solar cell applications and molecular systems with fine-tuned colors for nonemissive electrochromic devices (e.g., smart windows, e-papers), a number of technical challenges remain to be overcome. Over the years, the concept of "spectral engineering" (tailoring the complex interplay between molecular physics and the various optical phenomena occurring across the electromagnetic spectrum) has become increasingly relevant in the field of π-conjugated organic polymers. Within the spectral engineering toolbox, the "donor-acceptor" approach uses alternating electron-rich and electron-deficient moieties along a π-conjugated backbone. This approach has proved especially valuable in the synthesis of dual-band and broadly absorbing chromophores with useful photovoltaic and electrochromic properties. In this Account, we highlight and provide insight into a present controversy surrounding the origin of the dual band of absorption sometimes encountered in semiconducting polymers structured using the "donor-acceptor" approach. Based on empirical evidence, we provide some schematic representations to describe the possible mechanisms governing the evolution of the two-band spectral absorption observed on varying the relative composition of electron-rich and electron-deficient substituents along the π-conjugated backbone. In parallel, we draw attention to the choice of the method employed to estimate and compare the absorption coefficients of polymer chromophores exhibiting distinct repeat unit lengths, and containing various extents of solubilizing side-chains along their backbone. Finally, we discuss the common assumption that "donor-acceptor" systems should have systematically lower absorption coefficients than their "all-donor" counterparts. The proposed models point toward important theoretical parameters which could be further explored at the macromolecular level to help researchers take full advantage of the

  9. The electronic spectra of benzo[b]thiete and transient o-thiobenzoquinonemethide. Spectral assignments on the basis of the electronic spectra of aniline, thiophenol, thioanisole, all-trans-octatetraene and transient o-xylylene in conjunction with quantum-chemical calculations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schweig, Armin; Diehl, Frank; Kesper, Karl; Meyer, Hermann

    1989-07-01

    The electronic absorption spectra of benzo[b]thiete ( 1) and of transient o-thiobenzoquinonemethide ( 2) have been obtained. Semiempirical valence-electron calculations using the CNDO/S SECI, CNDO/S PERTCI and LNDO/S PERTCI methods and correlation diagrams using suitable reference compounds ad aniline, thiophenol, thioanisole, all-trans-octatetraene and o-xylylene are applied to the interpretation of the spectra. The results clearly reveal 1 as a typically donor-substituted benzene derivative and 2 as a polyene-like system closely related to o-xylylene.

  10. Perylene-Diimide Based Donor-Acceptor-Donor Type Small-Molecule Acceptors for Solution-Processable Organic Solar Cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ganesamoorthy, Ramasamy; Vijayaraghavan, Rajagopalan; Sakthivel, Pachagounder

    2017-12-01

    Development of nonfullerene acceptors plays an important role in the commercial availability of plastic solar cells. We report herein synthesis of bay-substituted donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D)-type perylene diimide (PDI)-based small molecules (SM-1 to SM-4) by Suzuki coupling method and their use as acceptors in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells (BHJ-OSCs) with poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) polymer donor. We varied the number of electron-rich thiophene units and the solubilizing side chains and also evaluated the optical and electrochemical properties of the small molecules. The synthesized small molecules were confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and high-resolution mass spectroscopy (HR-MS). The small molecules showed extensive and strong absorption in the ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) region up to 750 nm, with bandgap (E_{{g}}^{{opt}} ) reduced below <2 eV. The energy levels of small molecules SM-1 to SM-4 were suitable for use as electron-accepting materials. The small molecules showed good thermal stability up to 300°C. BHJ-OSCs with SM-1 and P3HT polymer donor showed maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 0.19% with V oc of 0.30 V, J sc of 1.72 mA cm-2, and fill factor (FF) of 37%. The PCE decreased with the number of thiophene units. The PCE of SM-2 was lower than that of SM-1. This difference in PCE can be explained by the higher aggregation tendency of the bithiophene compared with the thiophene unit. Introduction of the solubilizing group in the bay position increased the aggregation property, leading to much lower PCE than for the small molecules without solubilizing group.

  11. The biopsied donor liver: incorporating macrosteatosis into high-risk donor assessment.

    PubMed

    Spitzer, Austin L; Lao, Oliver B; Dick, André A S; Bakthavatsalam, Ramasamy; Halldorson, Jeffrey B; Yeh, Matthew M; Upton, Melissa P; Reyes, Jorge D; Perkins, James D

    2010-07-01

    To expand the donor liver pool, ways are sought to better define the limits of marginally transplantable organs. The Donor Risk Index (DRI) lists 7 donor characteristics, together with cold ischemia time and location of the donor, as risk factors for graft failure. We hypothesized that donor hepatic steatosis is an additional independent risk factor. We analyzed the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients for all adult liver transplants performed from October 1, 2003, through February 6, 2008, with grafts from deceased donors to identify donor characteristics and procurement logistics parameters predictive of decreased graft survival. A proportional hazard model of donor variables, including percent steatosis from higher-risk donors, was created with graft survival as the primary outcome. Of 21,777 transplants, 5051 donors had percent macrovesicular steatosis recorded on donor liver biopsy. Compared to the 16,726 donors with no recorded liver biopsy, the donors with biopsied livers had a higher DRI, were older and more obese, and a higher percentage died from anoxia or stroke than from head trauma. The donors whose livers were biopsied became our study group. Factors most strongly associated with graft failure at 1 year after transplantation with livers from this high-risk donor group were donor age, donor liver macrovesicular steatosis, cold ischemia time, and donation after cardiac death status. In conclusion, in a high-risk donor group, macrovesicular steatosis is an independent risk factor for graft survival, along with other factors of the DRI including donor age, donor race, donation after cardiac death status, and cold ischemia time.

  12. Evaluation of Potential Donors in Living Donor Liver Transplantation.

    PubMed

    Dirican, A; Baskiran, A; Dogan, M; Ates, M; Soyer, V; Sarici, B; Ozdemir, F; Polat, Y; Yilmaz, S

    2015-06-01

    Correct donor selection in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is essential not only to decrease the risks of complications for the donors but also to increase the survival of both the graft and the recipient. Knowing their most frequent reasons of donor elimination is so important for transplantation centers to gain time. In this study we evaluated the effectiveness of potential donors in LDLT and studied the reasons for nonmaturation of potential liver donors at our transplantation center. We studied the outcomes of 342 potential living donor candidates for 161 recipient candidates for liver transplantation between January 2013 and June 2014. Donor candidates' gender, age, body mass index (BMI), relationship with recipient, and causes of exclusion were recorded. Among 161 recipients, 96 had a LDLT and 7 had cadaveric liver transplantation. Twelve of the 342 potential donors did not complete their evaluation; 106 of the remaining 330 donor candidates were accepted as suitable for donation (32%) but 10 of these were excluded preoperatively. The main reasons for unsuitability for liver donation were small remnant liver size (43%) and fatty changes of the liver (38.4%). Other reasons were arterial anatomic variations, ABO incompatibility, and Gilbert syndrome. Only 96 of the candidates (29% of the 330 candidates who completed the evaluation) underwent donation. Effective donors were 29% of potential and 90.5% of suitable donors. In our center, 106 of 330 (32%) donor candidates were suitable for donation and the main reasons for unsuitability for liver donation were small remnant liver size and fatty changes of the liver. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Donor defects and small polarons on the TiO2(110) surface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moses, P. G.; Janotti, A.; Franchini, C.; Kresse, G.; Van de Walle, C. G.

    2016-05-01

    The role of defects in the chemical activity of the rutile TiO2(110) surface remains a rich topic of research, despite the rutile (110) being one of the most studied surfaces of transition-metal oxides. Here, we present results from hybrid functional calculations that reconcile apparently disparate views on the impact of donor defects, such as oxygen vacancies and hydrogen impurities, on the electronic structure of the (110) rutile surface. We find that the bridging oxygen vacancy and adsorbed or substitutional hydrogen are actually shallow donors, which do not induce gap states. The excess electrons from these donor centers tend to localize in the form of small polarons, which are the factual cause of the deep states ˜1 eV below the conduction band, often observed in photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. Our results offer a new framework for understanding the surface electronic structure of TiO2 and related oxides.

  14. The diheme cytochrome c4 from Vibrio cholerae is a natural electron donor to the respiratory cbb3 oxygen reductase

    PubMed Central

    Chang, Hsin-Yang; Ahn, Young; Pace, Laura A.; Lin, Myat T.; Lin, Yun-Hui; Gennis, Robert B.

    2010-01-01

    The respiratory chain of Vibrio cholerae contains three bd-type quinol oxygen reductases as well as one cbb3 oxygen reductase. The cbb3 oxygen reductase has been previously isolated and characterized, however the natural mobile electron donor(s) which shuttles electrons between the bc1 complex and the cbb3 oxygen reductase is not known. The most likely candidates are the diheme cytochrome c4 and mono-heme cytochrome c5, which have been previously shown to be present in the periplasm of aerobically grown cultures of V. cholerae. Both cytochromes c4 and c5 from V. cholerae have been cloned and expressed heterologously in E. coli. It is shown that reduced cytochrome c4 is a substrate for the purified cbb3 oxygen reductase and can support steady state oxygen reductase activity of at least 300 e−1/s. In contrast, reduced cytochrome c5 is not a good substrate for the cbb3 oxygen reductase. Surprisingly, the dependence of the oxygen reductase activity on the concentration of cytochrome c4 does not exhibit saturation. Global spectroscopic analysis of the time course of the oxidation of cytochrome c4 indicates that the apparent lack of saturation is due to the strong dependence of KM and Vmax on the concentration of oxidized cytochrome c4. Whether this is an artifact of the in vitro assay or has physiological significance remains unknown. Cyclic voltammetry was used to determine that the midpoint potentials of the two hemes in cytochrome c4 are 240 mV and 340 mV (vs SHE), similar to the electrochemical properties of other c4-type cytochromes. Genomic analysis shows a strong correlation between the presence of a c4-type cytochrome and a cbb3 oxygen reductase within the β- and γ- proteobacterial clades, suggesting that cytochrome c4 is the likely natural electron donor to the cbb3 oxygen reductases within these organisms. These would include the β-proteobacteria Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonnorhoeae, in which the cbb3 oxygen reductases are the only terminal

  15. Radio frequency reflectometry and charge sensing of a precision placed donor in silicon

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hile, Samuel J., E-mail: samhile@gmail.com; House, Matthew G.; Peretz, Eldad

    2015-08-31

    We compare charge transitions on a deterministic single P donor in silicon using radio frequency reflectometry measurements with a tunnel coupled reservoir and DC charge sensing using a capacitively coupled single electron transistor (SET). By measuring the conductance through the SET and comparing this with the phase shift of the reflected radio frequency (RF) excitation from the reservoir, we can discriminate between charge transfer within the SET channel and tunneling between the donor and reservoir. The RF measurement allows observation of donor electron transitions at every charge degeneracy point in contrast to the SET conductance signal where charge transitions aremore » only observed at triple points. The tunnel coupled reservoir has the advantage of a large effective lever arm (∼35%), allowing us to independently extract a neutral donor charging energy ∼62 ± 17 meV. These results demonstrate that we can replace three terminal transistors by a single terminal dispersive reservoir, promising for high bandwidth scalable donor control and readout.« less

  16. Gamete donors' expectations and experiences of contact with their donor offspring

    PubMed Central

    Kirkman, Maggie; Bourne, Kate; Fisher, Jane; Johnson, Louise; Hammarberg, Karin

    2014-01-01

    STUDY QUESTION What are the expectations and experiences of anonymous gamete donors about contact with their donor offspring? SUMMARY ANSWER Rather than consistently wanting to remain distant from their donor offspring, donors' expectations and experiences of contact with donor offspring ranged from none to a close personal relationship. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Donor conception is part of assisted reproduction in many countries, but little is known about its continuing influence on gamete donors' lives. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION A qualitative research model appropriate for understanding participants' views was employed; semi-structured interviews were conducted during January–March 2013. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Before 1998, gamete donors in Victoria, Australia, were subject to evolving legislation that allowed them to remain anonymous or (from 1988) to consent to the release of identifying information. An opportunity to increase knowledge of donors' expectations and experiences of contact with their donor offspring recently arose in Victoria when a recommendation was made to introduce mandatory identification of donors on request from their donor offspring, with retrospective effect. Pre-1998 donors were invited through an advertising campaign to be interviewed about their views, experiences and expectations; 36 sperm donors and 6 egg donors participated. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE This research is unusual in achieving participation by donors who would not normally identify themselves to researchers or government inquiries. Qualitative thematic analysis revealed that most donors did not characterize themselves as parents of their donor offspring. Donors' expectations and experiences of contact with donor offspring ranged from none to a close personal relationship. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION It is not possible to establish whether participants were representative of all pre-1998 donors. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Anonymous

  17. Two-Electron Transfer Pathways.

    PubMed

    Lin, Jiaxing; Balamurugan, D; Zhang, Peng; Skourtis, Spiros S; Beratan, David N

    2015-06-18

    The frontiers of electron-transfer chemistry demand that we develop theoretical frameworks to describe the delivery of multiple electrons, atoms, and ions in molecular systems. When electrons move over long distances through high barriers, where the probability for thermal population of oxidized or reduced bridge-localized states is very small, the electrons will tunnel from the donor (D) to acceptor (A), facilitated by bridge-mediated superexchange interactions. If the stable donor and acceptor redox states on D and A differ by two electrons, it is possible that the electrons will propagate coherently from D to A. While structure-function relations for single-electron superexchange in molecules are well established, strategies to manipulate the coherent flow of multiple electrons are largely unknown. In contrast to one-electron superexchange, two-electron superexchange involves both one- and two-electron virtual intermediate states, the number of virtual intermediates increases very rapidly with system size, and multiple classes of pathways interfere with one another. In the study described here, we developed simple superexchange models for two-electron transfer. We explored how the bridge structure and energetics influence multielectron superexchange, and we compared two-electron superexchange interactions to single-electron superexchange. Multielectron superexchange introduces interference between singly and doubly oxidized (or reduced) bridge virtual states, so that even simple linear donor-bridge-acceptor systems have pathway topologies that resemble those seen for one-electron superexchange through bridges with multiple parallel pathways. The simple model systems studied here exhibit a richness that is amenable to experimental exploration by manipulating the multiple pathways, pathway crosstalk, and changes in the number of donor and acceptor species. The features that emerge from these studies may assist in developing new strategies to deliver multiple

  18. Recalcitrant Carbonaceous Material: A Source of Electron Donors for Anaerobic Microbial Metabolisms in the Subsurface?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nixon, S. L.; Montgomery, W.; Sephton, M. A.; Cockell, C. S.

    2014-12-01

    More than 90% of organic material on Earth resides in sedimentary rocks in the form of kerogens; fossilized organic matter formed through selective preservation of high molecular weight biopolymers under anoxic conditions. Despite its prevalence in the subsurface, the extent to which this material supports microbial metabolisms is unknown. Whilst aerobic microorganisms are known to derive energy from kerogens within shales, utilization in anaerobic microbial metabolisms that proliferate in the terrestrial subsurface, such as microbial iron reduction, has yet to be demonstrated. Data are presented from microbial growth experiments in which kerogens and shales were supplied as the sole electron donor source for microbial iron reduction by an enrichment culture. Four well-characterized kerogens samples (representative of Types I-IV, classified by starting material), and two shale samples, were assessed. Organic analysis was carried out to investigate major compound classes present in each starting material. Parallel experiments were conducted to test inhibition of microbial iron reduction in the presence of each material when the culture was supplied with a full redox couple. The results demonstrate that iron-reducing microorganisms in this culture were unable to use kerogens and shales as a source of electron donors for energy acquisition, despite the presence of compound classes known to support this metabolism. Furthermore, the presence of these materials was found to inhibit microbial iron reduction to varying degrees, with some samples leading to complete inhibition. These results suggest that recalcitrant carbonaceous material in the terrestrial subsurface is not available for microbial iron reduction and similar metabolisms, such as sulphate-reduction. Further research is needed to investigate the inhibition exerted by these materials, and to assess whether these findings apply to other microbial consortia. These results may have significant implications for

  19. Retention of "safe" blood donors. The Retrovirus Epidemiology Donor Study.

    PubMed

    Thomson, R A; Bethel, J; Lo, A Y; Ownby, H E; Nass, C C; Williams, A E

    1998-04-01

    There are obvious advantages to increasing donor retention. However, for reasons of blood safety, certain donors may, in fact, be more desirable to retain than others. "Safe" donors are defined as those who provided a blood donation that was negative on all laboratory screening tests and who subsequently reported no behavioral risks in response to an anonymous survey. This study identifies the most important factors affecting the intention of "safe" donors to provide another donation. An anonymous survey asking about donation history, sexual history, injecting drug use, and recent donation experience was mailed to 50,162 randomly selected allogeneic donors (including directed donors) who gave blood from April through July or from October through December 1993 at one of the five United States blood centers participating in the Retrovirus Epidemiology Donor Study. Before mailing, questionnaires were coded to designate donors with nonreactive laboratory screening tests at their most recent donation. A total of 34,726 donors (69%) responded, with substantially higher response among repeat donors. According to reported intentions only, the vast majority of "safe" donors indicated a high likelihood of donating again within the next 12 months. Only 3.4 percent reported a low likelihood of donating again. A comparison of those likely to return and those unlikely to return reveals significant differences in demographics and in ratings of the donation experience. A higher proportion of those unlikely to return were first-time donors, minority-group donors, and donors with less education. The highest projected loss among "safe" donors was seen for those who gave a fair to poor assessment of their treatment by blood center staff or of their physical well-being during or after donating. These data suggest that efforts to improve donors' perceptions of their donation experience, as well as attention to the physical effects of blood donation, may aid in the retention of both

  20. Do thermal donors reduce the lifetimes of Czochralski-grown silicon crystals?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miyamura, Y.; Harada, H.; Nakano, S.; Nishizawa, S.; Kakimoto, K.

    2018-05-01

    High-performance electronics require long carrier lifetimes within their silicon crystals. This paper reports the effects of thermal donors on the lifetimes of carriers in as-grown n-type silicon crystals grown by the Czochralski method. We grew silicon crystals with two different concentrations of thermal donors using the following two cooling processes: one was cooled with a 4-h halt after detaching the crystal from the melt, and the other was cooled continuously. The crystal grown with the cooling halt contained higher concentrations of thermal donors of the order of 1 × 1013 cm-3, while the crystal without the halt had no thermal donors. The measured bulk lifetimes were in the range of 15-18 ms. We concluded that thermal donors in Czochralski-grown silicon crystals do not act to reduce their lifetimes.

  1. Which Donor for Uterus Transplants: Brain-Dead Donor or Living Donor? A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Lavoué, Vincent; Vigneau, Cécile; Duros, Solène; Boudjema, Karim; Levêque, Jean; Piver, Pascal; Aubard, Yves; Gauthier, Tristan

    2017-02-01

    The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate and compare the pros and cons of using living donors or brain-dead donors in uterus transplantation programs, 2 years after the first worldwide live birth after uterus transplantation. The Medline database and the Central Cochrane Library were used to locate uterine transplantation studies carried out in human or nonhuman primates. All types of articles (case reports, original studies, meta-analyses, reviews) in English or French were considered for inclusion. Overall, 92 articles were screened and 44 were retained for review. Proof of concept for human uterine transplantation was demonstrated in 2014 with a living donor. Compared with a brain-dead donor strategy, a living donor strategy offers greater possibilities for planning surgery and also decreases cold ischemia time, potentially translating into a higher success rate. However, this approach poses ethical problems, given that the donor is exposed to surgery risks but does not derive any direct benefit. A brain-dead donor strategy is more acceptable from an ethical viewpoint, but its feasibility is currently unproven, potentially owing to a lack of compatible donors, and is associated with a longer cold ischemia time and a potentially higher rejection rate. The systematic review demonstrates that uterine transplantation is a major surgical innovation for the treatment of absolute uterine factor infertility. Living and brain-dead donor strategies are not mutually exclusive and, in view of the current scarcity of uterine grafts and the anticipated future rise in demand, both will probably be necessary.

  2. Tuning the Electronic Structure of Fe(II) Polypyridines via Donor Atom and Ligand Scaffold Modifications: A Computational Study.

    PubMed

    Bowman, David N; Bondarev, Alexey; Mukherjee, Sriparna; Jakubikova, Elena

    2015-09-08

    Fe(II) polypyridines are an important class of pseudo-octahedral metal complexes known for their potential applications in molecular electronic switches, data storage and display devices, sensors, and dye-sensitized solar cells. Fe(II) polypyridines have a d(6) electronic configuration and pseudo-octahedral geometry and can therefore possess either a high-spin (quintet) or a low-spin (singlet) ground state. In this study, we investigate a series of complexes based on [Fe(tpy)2](2+) (tpy = 2,2';6',2″-terpyridine) and [Fe(dcpp)2](2+) (dcpp = 2,6-bis(2-carboxypyridyl)pyridine). The ligand field strength in these complexes is systematically tuned by replacing the central pyridine with five-membered (N-heterocyclic carbene, pyrrole, furan) or six-membered (aryl, thiazine-1,1-dioxide, 4-pyrone) moieties. To determine the impact of ligand substitutions on the relative energies of metal-centered states, the singlet, triplet, and quintet states of the Fe(II) complexes were optimized in water (PCM) using density functional theory at the B3LYP+D2 level with 6-311G* (nonmetals) and SDD (Fe) basis sets. It was found that the dcpp ligand scaffold allows for a more ideal octahedral coordination environment in comparison to the tpy ligand scaffold. The presence of six-membered central rings also allows for a more ideally octahedral coordination environment relative to five-membered central rings, regardless of the ligand scaffold. We find that the ligand field strength in the Fe(II) polypyridines can be tuned by altering the donor atom identity, with C donor atoms providing the strongest ligand field.

  3. Revealing electronic open quantum systems with subsystem TDDFT

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Krishtal, Alisa, E-mail: alisa.krishtal@rutgers.edu; Pavanello, Michele, E-mail: m.pavanello@rutgers.edu

    2016-03-28

    Open quantum systems (OQSs) are perhaps the most realistic systems one can approach through simulations. In recent years, describing OQSs with Density Functional Theory (DFT) has been a prominent avenue of research with most approaches based on a density matrix partitioning in conjunction with an ad-hoc description of system-bath interactions. We propose a different theoretical approach to OQSs based on partitioning of the electron density. Employing the machinery of subsystem DFT (and its time-dependent extension), we provide a novel way of isolating and analyzing the various terms contributing to the coupling between the system and the surrounding bath. To illustratemore » the theory, we provide numerical simulations on a toy system (a molecular dimer) and on a condensed phase system (solvated excimer). The simulations show that non-Markovian dynamics in the electronic system-bath interactions are important in chemical applications. For instance, we show that the superexchange mechanism of transport in donor-bridge-acceptor systems is a non-Markovian interaction between the donor-acceptor (OQS) with the bridge (bath) which is fully characterized by real-time subsystem time-dependent DFT.« less

  4. Substrate Dependent Ad-Atom Migration on Graphene and the Impact on Electron-Beam Sculpting Functional Nanopores.

    PubMed

    Freedman, Kevin J; Goyal, Gaurav; Ahn, Chi Won; Kim, Min Jun

    2017-05-10

    The use of atomically thin graphene for molecular sensing has attracted tremendous attention over the years and, in some instances, could displace the use of classical thin films. For nanopore sensing, graphene must be suspended over an aperture so that a single pore can be formed in the free-standing region. Nanopores are typically drilled using an electron beam (e-beam) which is tightly focused until a desired pore size is obtained. E-beam sculpting of graphene however is not just dependent on the ability to displace atoms but also the ability to hinder the migration of ad-atoms on the surface of graphene. Using relatively lower e-beam fluxes from a thermionic electron source, the C-atom knockout rate seems to be comparable to the rate of carbon ad-atom attraction and accumulation at the e-beam/graphene interface (i.e., R knockout ≈ R accumulation ). Working at this unique regime has allowed the study of carbon ad-atom migration as well as the influence of various substrate materials on e-beam sculpting of graphene. We also show that this information was pivotal to fabricating functional graphene nanopores for studying DNA with increased spatial resolution which is attributed to atomically thin membranes.

  5. Standardization of transfusion practice in organ donors using the Digital Intern, an electronic decision support algorithm.

    PubMed

    Connor, Joseph P; Cunningham, Ashley M; Raife, Thomas; Rose, William N; Medow, Joshua E

    2017-06-01

    Prospective clinical trials support restrictive thresholds for red blood cell (RBC) transfusion. Nonsurvivable donors are a major source of organs for transplantation. The Digital Intern (DI) is a computer algorithm to standardize donor care that includes a more restrictive transfusion threshold. The impact of standardized and restrictive RBC transfusion in organ donors, as determined by the DI, has not been reported. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to compare the transfusion practice of the DI (n = 100) to a historic group of physician-managed donors (n = 90). Transfusion rates, the number of units transfused, and pretransfusion laboratory values were compared between groups. The variability of these parameters was also compared between groups. Finally, the number of transplanted organs per donor in each group was compared. The mean time as a donor was 25.9 ± 15.2 hours and was not different between the groups. In the DI group 19% were transfused compared to 26% in the control group (p = 0.3). The number of units transfused was less in the DI group (1 unit vs. 2 units per transfusion, p = 0.03) and the pretransfusion hematocrit was lower in the DI group (23% vs. 27%, p = 0.01). The variability in the latter two parameters was significantly lower in the DI group. The number of transplanted organs per donor was similar in both groups (3.24 [DI] vs. 3.03 [control], p = 0.37). The DI provides a more standardization transfusion practice in organ donors and reduces blood use without compromising transplantable organs. © 2017 AABB.

  6. Surface code architecture for donors and dots in silicon with imprecise and nonuniform qubit couplings

    DOE PAGES

    Pica, G.; Lovett, B. W.; Bhatt, R. N.; ...

    2016-01-14

    A scaled quantum computer with donor spins in silicon would benefit from a viable semiconductor framework and a strong inherent decoupling of the qubits from the noisy environment. Coupling neighboring spins via the natural exchange interaction according to current designs requires gate control structures with extremely small length scales. In this work, we present a silicon architecture where bismuth donors with long coherence times are coupled to electrons that can shuttle between adjacent quantum dots, thus relaxing the pitch requirements and allowing space between donors for classical control devices. An adiabatic SWAP operation within each donor/dot pair solves the scalabilitymore » issues intrinsic to exchange-based two-qubit gates, as it does not rely on subnanometer precision in donor placement and is robust against noise in the control fields. In conclusion, we use this SWAP together with well established global microwave Rabi pulses and parallel electron shuttling to construct a surface code that needs minimal, feasible local control.« less

  7. Fluorinated arene, imide and unsaturated pyrrolidinone based donor acceptor conjugated polymers: Synthesis, structure-property and device studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liyanage, Arawwawala Don Thilanga

    After the discovery of doped polyacetylene, organic semiconductor materials are widely studied as high impending active components in consumer electronics. They have received substantial consideration due to their potential for structural tailoring, low cost, large area and mechanically flexible alternatives to common inorganic semiconductors. To acquire maximum use of these materials, it is essential to get a strong idea about their chemical and physical nature. Material chemist has an enormous role to play in this novel area, including development of efficient synthetic methodologies and control the molecular self-assembly and (opto)-electronic properties. The body of this thesis mainly focuses on the substituent effects: how different substituents affect the (opto)-electronic properties of the donor-acceptor (D-A) conjugated polymers. The main priority goes to understand, how different alkyl substituent effect to the polymer solubility, crystallinity, thermal properties (e.g.: glass transition temperature) and morphological order. Three classes of D-A systems were extensively studied in this work. The second chapter mainly focuses on the synthesis and structure-property study of fluorinated arene (TFB) base polymers. Here we used commercially available 1,4-dibromo-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzene (TFB) as the acceptor material and prepare several polymers using 3,3'-dialkyl(3,3'-R2T2) or 3,3'-dialkoxy bithiophene (3,3'-RO2T2) units as electron donors. A detail study was done using 3,3'-bithiophene donor units incorporating branched alkoxy-functionalities by systematic variation of branching position and chain length. The study allowed disentangling the branching effects on (i) aggregation tendency, intermolecular arrangement, (iii) solid state optical energy gaps, and (iv) electronic properties in an overall consistent picture, which might guide future polymer synthesis towards optimized materials for opto-electronic applications. The third chapter mainly focused on

  8. Donor defects and small polarons on the TiO{sub 2}(110) surface

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Moses, P. G.; Janotti, A., E-mail: janotti@udel.edu; Van de Walle, C. G.

    2016-05-14

    The role of defects in the chemical activity of the rutile TiO{sub 2}(110) surface remains a rich topic of research, despite the rutile (110) being one of the most studied surfaces of transition-metal oxides. Here, we present results from hybrid functional calculations that reconcile apparently disparate views on the impact of donor defects, such as oxygen vacancies and hydrogen impurities, on the electronic structure of the (110) rutile surface. We find that the bridging oxygen vacancy and adsorbed or substitutional hydrogen are actually shallow donors, which do not induce gap states. The excess electrons from these donor centers tend tomore » localize in the form of small polarons, which are the factual cause of the deep states ∼1 eV below the conduction band, often observed in photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. Our results offer a new framework for understanding the surface electronic structure of TiO{sub 2} and related oxides.« less

  9. Donor profiles: demographic factors and their influence on the donor career.

    PubMed

    Veldhuizen, I J T; Doggen, C J M; Atsma, F; De Kort, W L A M

    2009-08-01

    Studying the contribution of demographic factors to the donor career provides important knowledge to be used for donor management. The aim of this study is to gain insight into donor characteristics, more specifically into the demographic profile of active vs. resigned donors, and multi-gallon vs. occasional donors. The study population consisted of all registered Dutch whole-blood donors between 1 January 2004 and 1 January 2005 (N = 370 470). The effect of several blood donor characteristics and demographic variables on (i) resigning donating and (ii) being a multi-gallon donor were assessed. Blood donor characteristics were extracted from the blood bank information system and included age, sex, blood group, number of donations and invitations. Demographic characteristics were constituted by population data on urbanization level, socio-economic status (income, housing value), and ethnicity. Men clearly resigned less often than women (odds ratio (OR) 0.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.72-0.75). Being older than 24 years, having a high income, a high-priced house, living in less urbanized areas or areas with relatively few ethnically diverse people also reduced the stopping risk. With respect to multi-gallon donorship, men were five times more often multi-gallon donor than women (OR 5.27, 95% CI 5.15-5.39) irrespective of the number of donation invitations. Furthermore, multi-gallon donors appeared to live in urbanized areas and have a higher income than occasional donors. Our results show that different donor profiles can be distinguished. Differences between active and resigned donors include age, the number of donations, sex, socio-economic-status, ethnicity, and urbanization level. The factors highly associated with being a multi-gallon donor are sex, age, socio-economic status, and to a lesser extent urbanization level. Donor profiles do provide the blood bank with knowledge on their donor population, which may be used as valuable information for donor

  10. Correlation of Hydrogen-Atom Abstraction Reaction Efficiencies for Aryl Radicals with their Vertical Electron Affinities and the Vertical Ionization Energies of the Hydrogen Atom Donors

    PubMed Central

    Jing, Linhong; Nash, John J.

    2009-01-01

    The factors that control the reactivities of aryl radicals toward hydrogen-atom donors were studied by using a dual-cell Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FT – ICR). Hydrogen-atom abstraction reaction efficiencies for two substrates, cyclohexane and isopropanol, were measured for twenty-three structurally different, positively-charged aryl radicals, which included dehydrobenzenes, dehydronaphthalenes, dehydropyridines, and dehydro(iso)quinolines. A logarithmic correlation was found between the hydrogen-atom abstraction reaction efficiencies and the (calculated) vertical electron affinities (EA) of the aryl radicals. Transition state energies calculated for three of the aryl radicals with isopropanol were found to correlate linearly with their (calculated) EAs. No correlation was found between the hydrogen-atom abstraction reaction efficiencies and the (calculated) enthalpy changes for the reactions. Measurement of the reaction efficiencies for the reactions of several different hydrogen-atom donors with a few selected aryl radicals revealed a logarithmic correlation between the hydrogen-atom abstraction reaction efficiencies and the vertical ionization energies (IE) of the hydrogen-atom donors, but not the lowest homolytic X – H (X = heavy atom) bond dissociation energies of the hydrogen-atom donors. Examination of the hydrogen-atom abstraction reactions of twenty-nine different aryl radicals and eighteen different hydrogen-atom donors showed that the reaction efficiency increases (logarithmically) as the difference between the IE of the hydrogen-atom donor and the EA of the aryl radical decreases. This dependence is likely to result from the increasing polarization, and concomitant stabilization, of the transition state as the energy difference between the neutral and ionic reactants decreases. Thus, the hydrogen-atom abstraction reaction efficiency for an aryl radical can be “tuned” by structural changes that influence either

  11. Are drowned donors marginal donors? A single pediatric center experience.

    PubMed

    Kumm, Kayla R; Galván, N Thao N; Koohmaraie, Sarah; Rana, Abbas; Kueht, Michael; Baugh, Katherine; Hao, Liu; Yoeli, Dor; Cotton, Ronald; O'Mahony, Christine A; Goss, John A

    2017-09-01

    Drowning, a common cause of death in the pediatric population, is a potentially large donor pool for OLT. Anecdotally, transplant centers have deemed these organs high risk over concerns for infection and graft dysfunction. We theorized drowned donor liver allografts do not portend worse outcomes and therefore should not be excluded from the donation pool. We reviewed our single-center experience of pediatric OLTs between 1988 and 2015 and identified 33 drowned donor recipients. These OLTs were matched 1:2 to head trauma donor OLTs from our center. A chart review assessed postoperative peak AST and ALT, incidence of HAT, graft and recipient survival. Recipient survival at one year between patients with drowned donor vs head trauma donor allografts was not statistically significant (94% vs 97%, P=.63). HAT incidence was 6.1% in the drowned donor group vs 7.6% in the control group (P=.78). Mean postoperative peak AST and ALT was 683 U/L and 450 U/L for drowned donors vs 1119 U/L and 828 U/L in the matched cohort. These results suggest drowned donor liver allografts do not portend worse outcomes in comparison with those procured from head trauma donors. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Donor-derived infections among Chinese donation after cardiac death liver recipients.

    PubMed

    Ye, Qi-Fa; Zhou, Wei; Wan, Qi-Quan

    2017-08-21

    To investigate blood cultures of deceased donors and report the confirmed transmission of bacterial infection from donors to liver recipients. We retrospectively studied the results of blood cultures among our donation after cardiac death (DCD) donors and calculated the donor-derived bacterial infection rates among liver recipients. Study participants underwent liver transplantation between January 1, 2010 and February 1, 2017. The study involved a total of 67 recipients of liver grafts from 67 DCD donors. We extracted the data of donors' and patients' characteristics, culture results and clinical outcomes, especially the post-transplant complications in liver recipients, from electronic medical records. We analyzed the characteristics of the donors and the corresponding liver recipients with emphasis put on donor-derived infections. Head trauma was the most common origin of death among our 67 DCD donors (46.3%). Blood taken prior to the procurement operation was cultured for 53 of the donors, with 17 episodes of bloodstream infections developing from 13 donors. The predominant organism isolated from the blood of donors was Gram-positive bacteria (70.6%). Only three (4.5%) of 67 liver recipients developed confirmed donor-derived bacterial infections, with two isolates of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and one isolate of multidrug-resistant Enterobacter aerogenes. The liver recipients with donor-derived infections showed relation to higher crude mortality and graft loss rates (33.3% each) within 3 mo post transplantation, as compared to those without donor-derived infections (9.4% and 4.7%, respectively). All three liver recipients received appropriate antimicrobial therapy. Liver recipients have high occurrence of donor-derived infections. The liver recipients with donor-derived multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections can have good outcome if appropriate antimicrobial therapy is given.

  13. On the origin of red and blue shifts of X-H and C-H stretching vibrations in formic acid (formate ion) and proton donor complexes.

    PubMed

    Tâme Parreira, Renato Luis; Galembeck, Sérgio Emanuel; Hobza, Pavel

    2007-01-08

    Complexes between formic acid or formate anion and various proton donors (HF, H(2)O, NH(3), and CH(4)) are studied by the MP2 and B3LYP methods with the 6-311++G(3df,3pd) basis set. Formation of a complex is characterized by electron-density transfer from electron donor to ligands. This transfer is much larger with the formate anion, for which it exceeds 0.1 e. Electron-density transfer from electron lone pairs of the electron donor is directed into sigma* antibonding orbitals of X--H bonds of the electron acceptor and leads to elongation of the bond and a red shift of the X--H stretching frequency (standard H-bonding). However, pronounced electron-density transfer from electron lone pairs of the electron donor also leads to reorganization of the electron density in the electron donor, which results in changes in geometry and vibrational frequency. These changes are largest for the C--H bonds of formic acid and formate anion, which do not participate in H-bonding. The resulting blue shift of this stretching frequency is substantial and amounts to almost 35 and 170 cm(-1), respectively.

  14. Gamete donation: parents' experiences of searching for their child's donor siblings and donor.

    PubMed

    Freeman, T; Jadva, V; Kramer, W; Golombok, S

    2009-03-01

    This study investigates the new phenomenon of parents of donor offspring searching for and contacting their child's 'donor siblings' (i.e. donor offspring conceived by the same donor) and donor. Online questionnaires were completed by 791 parents (39% lone-mother, 35% lesbian-couple, 21% heterosexual-couple, 5% non-specified) recruited via the Donor Sibling Registry; a US-based international registry that facilitates contact between donor conception families who share the same donor. Data were collected on parents' reasons for searching for their child's donor siblings and/or donor, the outcome of these searches and parents' and their child's experiences of any resulting contact. Parents' principal motivation for searching for their child's donor siblings was curiosity and for their donor, enhancing their child's sense of identity. Some parents had discovered large numbers of donor siblings (maximum = 55). Most parents reported positive experiences of contacting and meeting their child's donor siblings and donor. This study highlights that having access to information about a child's donor origins is important for some parents and has potentially positive consequences. These findings have wider implications because the removal of donor anonymity in the UK and elsewhere means that increasing numbers of donor offspring are likely to seek contact with their donor relations in the future.

  15. [Personality and donor-recipient relationships of potential donors before living donor liver transplantation--diagnostics with the repertory-grid technique].

    PubMed

    Walter, Marc; Walter, Otto B; Fliege, Herbert; Klapp, Burghard F; Danzer, Gerhard

    2003-06-01

    Living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is developing into an established therapy for terminal liver diseases in adults. Potential donors are faced with the risk of postoperative complications and are subject to a high level of psychological pressure and ambivalent feelings. Our assumption is that ambivalent feelings before donation are crucially influenced by the personality and the quality of the donor-recipient relationship. In highly motivated donors we expected a positive description of the recipient and a similarity in the characterisation of the donor and recipient. 58 potential living donors were evaluated between March 2000 and June 2001. On the basis of the clinical interview 10 were rated as unsuited for donation. Among those potential donors assessed as unsuited, we found a high level of ambivalent feelings. For 50 potential donors we gained a set of completed psychometric diagnostic questionnaires. A Repertory-grid investigation was conducted with a total of 28 potential donors. Seven of them were not recommended as living donors. The relationship between donors and recipients was analysed concerning constructs that were most important to the characterisation of the donor or recipient. By means of inter-element distances self-concept of donors and donor-recipient relation were analysed. Ambivalent candidates who were not recommended as living donors tended to describe the recipient negatively (selfish, carping, and unable to take criticism) and did not show a similarity in the characterisations of self and ideal-self. Whereas the highly motivated candidates were marked by a closeness of self and ideal-self concepts. Both groups saw the recipient as indifferent. Closeness between self and ideal-self-indicating satisfaction with the decision to donate seems to be one suitable criterion to distinguish between highly motivated potential donors on the one hand and ambivalent candidates on the other hand. Another criterion appears to be a description of

  16. Liver regeneration in donors and adult recipients after living donor liver transplantation.

    PubMed

    Haga, Junko; Shimazu, Motohide; Wakabayashi, Go; Tanabe, Minoru; Kawachi, Shigeyuki; Fuchimoto, Yasushi; Hoshino, Ken; Morikawa, Yasuhide; Kitajima, Masaki; Kitagawa, Yuko

    2008-12-01

    In living donor liver transplantation, the safety of the donor operation is the highest priority. The introduction of the right lobe graft was late because of concerns about donor safety. We investigated donor liver regeneration by the types of resected segments as well as recipients to assess that appropriate regeneration was occurring. Eighty-seven donors were classified into 3 groups: left lateral section donors, left lobe donors, and right lobe donors. Forty-seven adult recipients were classified as either left or right lobe grafted recipients. Volumetry was retrospectively performed at 1 week, 1, 2, 3, and 6 months, and 1 year after the operation. In the right lobe donor group, the remnant liver volume was 45.4%, and it rapidly increased to 68.9% at 1 month and 89.8% at 6 months. At 6 months, the regeneration ratios were almost the same in all donor groups. The recipient liver volume increased rapidly until 2 months, exceeding the standard liver volume, and then gradually decreased to 90% of the standard liver volume. Livers of the right lobe donor group regenerated fastest in the donor groups, and the recipient liver regenerated faster than the donor liver. Analyzing liver regeneration many times with a large number of donors enabled us to understand the normal liver regeneration pattern. Although the donor livers did not reach their initial volume, the donors showed normal liver function at 1 year. The donors have returned to their normal daily activities. Donor hepatectomy, even right hepatectomy, can be safely performed with accurate preoperative volumetry and careful decision-making concerning graft-type selection.

  17. Midterm Results of Renal Transplantation From Controlled Cardiac Death Donors Are Similar to Those From Brain Death Donors.

    PubMed

    Lafuente, O; Sánchez-Sobrino, B; Pérez, M; López-Sánchez, P; Janeiro, D; Rubio, E; Huerta, A; Marques, M; Llópez-Carratala, M R; Rubio, J J; Portolés, J

    2016-11-01

    The systematic use of grafts from controlled donors after cardiac death (cDCD) started in our country in 2012 and expanded with the strategic support of National Transplant Organization. We present our experience in kidney transplantation with organs from cDCD donors with a mean follow-up of 3 years. Observational prospective study of all transplants performed in our center in 2012-2013 followed to 2016. The immunosuppression protocols were triple therapy for low-risk recipients from a standard brain death donor (DBD), adding basiliximab or thymoglobulin induction for extended-criteria donor or high-risk recipient, respectively, and thymoglobulin induction plus triple therapy for all cDCD recipients. A total of 42 donors were included (84 grafts in total, but 1 discarded due to multiple cysts); 25 DBD and 17 cDCD without differences in age or sex. The graft use rate was 98.9% for cDCD; 55 grafts were implanted in our hospital (26 DBD and 29 cDCD), and the remaining 28 grafts were transferred to other centers. There were no differences in primary failure (3.4% cDCD vs 7.4% DBD), but the cDCD organs had a higher incidence of delayed graft function (51.7% vs 25.9%). Despite that, graft and patient survivals, as well as glomerular filtration rate (66.3 vs 59.6 mL/min) were similar in both groups. Only 1 patient died at home with a functioning graft in the cDCD group. Despite a higher rate of delayed graft function with cDCD, the midterm outcomes are at least similar to those with DBD. The cDCD programs should be promoted to increase the chances of a transplant in our patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Organic Donor-Acceptor Complexes as Novel Organic Semiconductors.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jing; Xu, Wei; Sheng, Peng; Zhao, Guangyao; Zhu, Daoben

    2017-07-18

    Organic donor-acceptor (DA) complexes have attracted wide attention in recent decades, resulting in the rapid development of organic binary system electronics. The design and synthesis of organic DA complexes with a variety of component structures have mainly focused on metallicity (or even superconductivity), emission, or ferroelectricity studies. Further efforts have been made in high-performance electronic investigations. The chemical versatility of organic semiconductors provides DA complexes with a great number of possibilities for semiconducting applications. Organic DA complexes extend the semiconductor family and promote charge separation and transport in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) and organic photovoltaics (OPVs). In OFETs, the organic complex serves as an active layer across extraordinary charge pathways, ensuring the efficient transport of induced charges. Although an increasing number of organic semiconductors have been reported to exhibit good p- or n-type properties (mobilities higher than 1 or even 10 cm 2 V -1 s -1 ), critical scientific challenges remain in utilizing the advantages of existing semiconductor materials for more and wider applications while maintaining less complicated synthetic or device fabrication processes. DA complex materials have revealed new insight: their unique molecular packing and structure-property relationships. The combination of donors and acceptors could offer practical advantages compared with their unimolecular materials. First, growing crystals of DA complexes with densely packed structures will reduce impurities and traps from the self-assembly process. Second, complexes based on the original structural components could form superior mixture stacking, which can facilitate charge transport depending on the driving force in the coassembly process. Third, the effective use of organic semiconductors can lead to tunable band structures, allowing the operation mode (p- or n-type) of the transistor to be

  19. Methods for the synthesis of donor-acceptor cyclopropanes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tomilov, Yu V.; Menchikov, L. G.; Novikov, R. A.; Ivanova, O. A.; Trushkov, I. V.

    2018-03-01

    The interest in cyclopropane derivatives is caused by the facts that, first, the three-carbon ring is present in quite a few natural and biologically active compounds and, second, compounds with this ring are convenient building blocks for the synthesis of diverse molecules (acyclic, alicyclic and heterocyclic). The carbon–carbon bonds in cyclopropane are kinetically rather inert; hence, they need to be activated to be involved in reactions. An efficient way of activation is to introduce vicinal electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents into the ring; these substrates are usually referred to as donor-acceptor cyclopropanes. This review gives a systematic account of the key methods for the synthesis of donor-acceptor cyclopropanes. The most important among them are reactions of nucleophilic alkenes with diazo compounds and iodonium ylides and approaches based on reactions of electrophilic alkenes with sulfur ylides (the Corey–Chaykovsky reaction). Among other methods used for this purpose, noteworthy are cycloalkylation of CH-acids, addition of α-halocarbonyl compounds to alkenes, cyclization via 1,3-elimination, reactions of alkenes with halocarbenes followed by reduction, the Simmons–Smith reaction and some other. The scope of applicability and prospects of various methods for the synthesis of donor-acceptor cyclopropanes are discussed. The bibliography includes 530 references.

  20. Donor-derived infections among Chinese donation after cardiac death liver recipients

    PubMed Central

    Ye, Qi-Fa; Zhou, Wei; Wan, Qi-Quan

    2017-01-01

    AIM To investigate blood cultures of deceased donors and report the confirmed transmission of bacterial infection from donors to liver recipients. METHODS We retrospectively studied the results of blood cultures among our donation after cardiac death (DCD) donors and calculated the donor-derived bacterial infection rates among liver recipients. Study participants underwent liver transplantation between January 1, 2010 and February 1, 2017. The study involved a total of 67 recipients of liver grafts from 67 DCD donors. We extracted the data of donors’ and patients’ characteristics, culture results and clinical outcomes, especially the post-transplant complications in liver recipients, from electronic medical records. We analyzed the characteristics of the donors and the corresponding liver recipients with emphasis put on donor-derived infections. RESULTS Head trauma was the most common origin of death among our 67 DCD donors (46.3%). Blood taken prior to the procurement operation was cultured for 53 of the donors, with 17 episodes of bloodstream infections developing from 13 donors. The predominant organism isolated from the blood of donors was Gram-positive bacteria (70.6%). Only three (4.5%) of 67 liver recipients developed confirmed donor-derived bacterial infections, with two isolates of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and one isolate of multidrug-resistant Enterobacter aerogenes. The liver recipients with donor-derived infections showed relation to higher crude mortality and graft loss rates (33.3% each) within 3 mo post transplantation, as compared to those without donor-derived infections (9.4% and 4.7%, respectively). All three liver recipients received appropriate antimicrobial therapy. CONCLUSION Liver recipients have high occurrence of donor-derived infections. The liver recipients with donor-derived multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections can have good outcome if appropriate antimicrobial therapy is given. PMID:28883707

  1. An ultrafast spectroscopic and quantum mechanical investigation of multiple emissions in push-pull pyridinium derivatives bearing different electron donors.

    PubMed

    Carlotti, B; Benassi, E; Cesaretti, A; Fortuna, C G; Spalletti, A; Barone, V; Elisei, F

    2015-08-28

    A joint experimental and theoretical approach, involving state-of-the-art femtosecond fluorescence up-conversion measurements and quantum mechanical computations including vibronic effects, was employed to get a deep insight into the excited state dynamics of two cationic dipolar chromophores (Donor-π-Acceptor(+)) where the electron deficient portion is a N-methyl pyridinium and the electron donor a trimethoxyphenyl or a pyrene, respectively. The ultrafast spectroscopic investigation, and the time resolved area normalised emission spectra in particular, revealed a peculiar multiple emissive behaviour and allowed the distinct emitting states to be remarkably distinguished from solvation dynamics, occurring in water in a similar timescale. The two and three emissions experimentally detected for the trimethoxyphenyl and pyrene derivatives, respectively, were associated with specific local emissive minima in the potential energy surface of S1 on the ground of quantum-mechanical calculations. A low polar and planar Locally Excited (LE) state together with a highly polar and Twisted Intramolecular Charge Transfer (TICT) state is identified to be responsible for the dual emission of the trimethoxyphenyl compound. Interestingly, the more complex photobehaviour of the pyrenyl derivative was explained considering the contribution to the fluorescence coming not only from the LE and TICT states but also from a nearly Planar Intramolecular Charge Transfer (PICT) state, with both the TICT and the PICT generated from LE by progressive torsion around the quasi-single bond between the methylpyridinium and the ethene bridge. These findings point to an interconversion between rotamers for the pyrene compound taking place in its excited state against the Non-equilibrated Excited Rotamers (NEER) principle.

  2. Electron Bifurcation: Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Two-Electron Brokering in Biological Redox Chemistry

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhang, Peng; Yuly, Jonathon L.; Lubner, Carolyn E.

    How can proteins drive two electrons from a redox active donor onto two acceptors at very different potentials and distances? And how can this transaction be conducted without dissipating very much energy or violating the laws of thermodynamics? Nature appears to have addressed these challenges by coupling thermodynamically uphill and downhill electron transfer reactions, using two-electron donor cofactors that have very different potentials for the removal of the first and second electron. Although electron bifurcation is carried out with near perfection from the standpoint of energy conservation and electron delivery yields, it is a biological energy transduction paradigm that hasmore » only come into focus recently. This Account provides an exegesis of the biophysical principles that underpin electron bifurcation.« less

  3. Defining donor and acceptor strength in conjugated copolymers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hedström, Svante; Wang, Ergang; Persson, Petter

    2017-03-01

    The progress in efficiency of organic photovoltaic devices is largely driven by the development of new donor-acceptor (D-A) copolymers. The number of possible D-A combinations escalates rapidly with the ever-increasing number of donor and acceptor units, and the design process often involves a trial-and-error approach. We here present a computationally efficient methodology for the prediction of optical and electronic properties of D-A copolymers based on density functional theory calculations of donor- and acceptor-only homopolymers. Ten donors and eight acceptors are studied, as well as all of their 80 D-A copolymer combinations, showing absorption energies of 1.3-2.3 eV, and absorption strengths varying by up to a factor of 2.5. Focus lies on exhibited trends in frontier orbital energies, optical band gaps, and absorption intensities, as well as their relation to the molecular structure. Based on the results, we define the concept of donor and acceptor strength, and calculate this quantity for all investigated units. The light-harvesting capabilities of the 80 D-A copolymers were also assessed. This gives a valuable theoretical guideline to the design of D-A copolymers with the potential to reduce the synthesis efforts in the development of new polymers.

  4. Ultrafast Electron Transfer across a Nanocapsular Wall: Coumarins as Donors, Viologen as Acceptor, and Octa Acid Capsule as the Mediator.

    PubMed

    Chuang, Chi-Hung; Porel, Mintu; Choudhury, Rajib; Burda, Clemens; Ramamurthy, V

    2018-01-11

    Results of our study on ultrafast electron transfer (eT) dynamics from coumarins (coumarin-1, coumarin-480, and coumarin-153) incarcerated within octa acid (OA) capsules as electron donors to methyl viologen dissolved in water as acceptor are presented. Upon photoexcitation, coumarin inside the OA capsule transfers an electron to the acceptor electrostatically attached to the capsule leading to a long-lived radical-ion pair separated by the OA capsular wall. This charge-separated state returns to the neutral ground state via back electron transfer on the nanosecond time scale. This system allows for ultrafast electron transfer processes through a molecular wall from the apolar capsular interior to the highly polar (aqueous) environment on the femtosecond time scale. Employing femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, distinct rates of both forward (1-25 ps) and backward eT (700-1200 ps) processes were measured. Further understanding of the energetics is provided using Rehm-Weller analysis for the investigated photoinduced eT reactions. The results provide the rates of the eT across a molecular wall, akin to an isotropic solution, depending on the standard free energy of the reaction. The insights from this work could be utilized in the future design of efficient electron transfer processes across interfaces separating apolar and polar environments.

  5. Linear Hyperfine Tuning of Donor Spins in Silicon Using Hydrostatic Strain

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mansir, J.; Conti, P.; Zeng, Z.; Pla, J. J.; Bertet, P.; Swift, M. W.; Van de Walle, C. G.; Thewalt, M. L. W.; Sklenard, B.; Niquet, Y. M.; Morton, J. J. L.

    2018-04-01

    We experimentally study the coupling of group V donor spins in silicon to mechanical strain, and measure strain-induced frequency shifts that are linear in strain, in contrast to the quadratic dependence predicted by the valley repopulation model (VRM), and therefore orders of magnitude greater than that predicted by the VRM for small strains |ɛ |<10-5. Through both tight-binding and first principles calculations we find that these shifts arise from a linear tuning of the donor hyperfine interaction term by the hydrostatic component of strain and achieve semiquantitative agreement with the experimental values. Our results provide a framework for making quantitative predictions of donor spins in silicon nanostructures, such as those being used to develop silicon-based quantum processors and memories. The strong spin-strain coupling we measure (up to 150 GHz per strain, for Bi donors in Si) offers a method for donor spin tuning—shifting Bi donor electron spins by over a linewidth with a hydrostatic strain of order 10-6—as well as opportunities for coupling to mechanical resonators.

  6. Creating Graphitic Carbon Nitride Based Donor-π-Acceptor-π-Donor Structured Catalysts for Highly Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution.

    PubMed

    Li, Kui; Zhang, Wei-De

    2018-03-01

    Conjugated polymers with tailored donor-acceptor units have recently attracted considerable attention in organic photovoltaic devices due to the controlled optical bandgap and retained favorable separation of charge carriers. Inspired by these advantages, an effective strategy is presented to solve the main obstructions of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ) photocatalyst for solar energy conversion, that is, inefficient visible light response and insufficient separation of photogenerated electrons and holes. Donor-π-acceptor-π-donor polymers are prepared by incorporating 4,4'-(benzoc 1,2,5 thiadiazole-4,7-diyl) dianiline (BD) into the g-C 3 N 4 framework (UCN-BD). Benefiting from the visible light band tail caused by the extended π conjugation, UCN-BD possesses expanded visible light absorption range. More importantly, the BD monomer also acts as an electron acceptor, which endows UCN-BD with a high degree of intramolecular charge transfer. With this unique molecular structure, the optimized UCN-BD sample exhibits a superior performance for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution upon visible light illumination (3428 µmol h -1 g -1 ), which is nearly six times of that of the pristine g-C 3 N 4 . In addition, the photocatalytic property remains stable for six cycles in 3 d. This work provides an insight into the synthesis of g-C 3 N 4 -based D-π-A-π-D systems with highly visible light response and long lifetime of intramolecular charge carriers for solar fuel production. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Halogenated solvent remediation

    DOEpatents

    Sorenson, Jr., Kent S.

    2008-11-11

    Methods for enhancing bioremediation of ground water contaminated with nonaqueous halogenated solvents are disclosed. An illustrative method includes adding an electron donor for microbe-mediated anaerobic reductive dehalogenation of the halogenated solvents, which electron donor enhances mass transfer of the halogenated solvents from residual source areas into the aqueous phase of the ground water. Illustrative electron donors include C.sub.2-C.sub.4 carboxylic acids and hydroxy acids, salts thereof, esters of C.sub.2-C.sub.4 carboxylic acids and hydroxy acids, and mixtures thereof, of which lactic acid, salts of lactic acid--such as sodium lactate, lactate esters, and mixtures thereof are particularly illustrative. The microbes are either indigenous to the ground water, or such microbes can be added to the ground water in addition to the electron donor.

  8. Transport Measurements on Si Nanostructures with Counted Sb Donors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh, Meenakshi; Bielejec, Edward; Garratt, Elias; Ten Eyck, Gregory; Bishop, Nathaniel; Wendt, Joel; Luhman, Dwight; Carroll, Malcolm; Lilly, Michael

    2014-03-01

    Donor based spin qubits are a promising platform for quantum computing. Single qubits using timed implant of donors have been demonstrated.1 Extending this to multiple qubits requires precise control over the placement and number of donors. Such control can be achieved by using a combination of low-energy heavy-ion implants (to reduce depth straggle), electron-beam lithography (to define position), focused ion beam (to localize implants to one lithographic site) and counting the number of implants with a single ion detector.2 We report transport measurements on MOS quantum dots implanted with 5, 10 and 20 Sb donors using the approach described above. A donor charge transition is identified by a charge offset in the transport characteristics. Correlation between the number of donors and the charge offsets is studied. These results are necessary first steps towards fabricating donor nanostructures for two qubit interactions. This work was performed, in part, at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, a U.S. DOE Office of Basic Energy Sciences user facility. The work was supported by Sandia National Laboratories Directed Research and Development Program. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed-Martin Company, for the U. S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC04-94AL85000. 1J. J. Pla et al., Nature 496, 334 (2013) 2J. A. Seamons et al., APL 93, 043124 (2008).

  9. Experiences of offspring searching for and contacting their donor siblings and donor.

    PubMed

    Jadva, Vasanti; Freeman, Tabitha; Kramer, Wendy; Golombok, Susan

    2010-04-01

    This study investigates a new phenomenon whereby individuals conceived by donor insemination are searching for and contacting their donor and/or 'donor siblings' (i.e. donor offspring conceived by the same donor who are their genetic half siblings). On-line questionnaires were completed by members of the Donor Sibling Registry (DSR), a US-based registry that facilitates contact between donor conception families who share the same donor. Of the 165 donor offspring who completed the survey, 15% were searching for their donor siblings, 13% were searching for their donor, and 64% were searching for both. Differences were found according to family type and age of disclosure. Fewer offspring from heterosexual couple families had told their father about their search when compared with offspring from lesbian couple families who had told their co-parent. Offspring who had found out about their conception after age 18 were more likely to be searching for medical reasons, whereas those who had found out before age 18 tended to be searching out of curiosity. Some offspring had discovered large numbers of half siblings (maximum=13). The majority of offspring who had found their donor relations reported positive experiences and remained in regular contact with them. Copyright (c) 2010 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Gender Disparity in Living-Donor Kidney Transplant Among Minority Ethnic Groups.

    PubMed

    Peracha, Javeria; Hayer, Manvir Kaur; Sharif, Adnan

    2016-04-01

    We have limited data on gender disparities between living kidney transplant donors and recipients across ethnic groups. This was a retrospective cohort study of all living-donor kidney transplants performed at a single center in an ethnically diverse region of England. Data were extracted from the United Kingdom National Transplant Database and University Hospitals Birmingham electronic medical records. We analyzed 713 living-donor kidney transplant procedures that were performed from 1987 to 2014. Gender disparities were observed, with women more likely to be living donors (54.7%) and less likely to be recipients (39.4%). Most male recipients received kidneys from female donors versus male donors (70.2% vs 29.8%), whereas the proportion of men receiving kidneys from women (50.9%) and from men (49.1%) were similar (P < .001). Black, Asian, and donors from other minority groups comprised 18.7% of the donor cohort. South Asian partner-to-partner transplants (n = 22) were predominantly men receiving transplants from women (90.9%) versus women receiving transplants from men (9.1%; P = .003). Male patients more commonly donated their kidney to children than to women (10.2% vs 6.4%; P = .046). South Asian donations to children were similar between males and females; however, boys exclusively received kidneys from male donors (8/8) versus from female donors (8/12). Gender disparity exists in living-donor kidney transplant, with disparities more pronounced in some ethnic groups and among particular relationships. This finding requires targeted counseling and research to understand whether the cause is medical or sociocultural obstacles.

  11. Distinguishing between Dexter and rapid sequential electron transfer in covalently linked donor-acceptor assemblies.

    PubMed

    Soler, Monica; McCusker, James K

    2008-04-09

    with the lack of enhanced emission at temperatures below the glass-to-fluid transition of the solvent and the absence of visible absorption features associated with the Mn(II)2 core allows for a definitive assignment of Dexter transfer as the dominant excited-state reaction pathway. A similar conclusion was reached for complex 3 based in part on the smaller driving force for electron transfer (DeltaG0(ET) = -0.1 eV), the increase in probability of Dexter transfer due to the closer proximity of the donor excited state to the dimanganese acceptor, and a lack of emission from the compound upon formation of an optical glass at 80 K. Electronic coupling constants for Dexter transfer were determined to be approximately 10 cm(-1) and approximately 0.15 cm(-1) in complexes 3 and 4, respectively, indicating that the change in spatial localization of the excited state from the bridge (complex 3) to the periphery of the chromophore (complex 4) results in a decrease in electronic coupling to the dimanganese core of nearly 2 orders of magnitude. In addition to providing insight into the influence of donor/acceptor proximity on exchange energy transfer, this study underscores the utility of variable-temperature measurements in cases where Dexter and electron-transfer mechanisms can lead to indistinguishable spectroscopic observables.

  12. Trehalose protects Mn-depleted photosystem 2 preparations against the donor-side photoinhibition.

    PubMed

    Yanykin, D V; Khorobrykh, A A; Mamedov, M D; Klimov, V V

    2016-11-01

    Recently, it has been shown that the addition of 1M trehalose leads to the increase of the rate of oxygen photoconsumption associated with activation of electron transport in the reaction center of photosystem 2 (PS2) in Mn-depleted PS2 membranes (apo-WOC-PS2) [37]. In the present work the effect of trehalose on photoinhibition of apo-WOC-PS2 preparations (which are characterized by a high sensitivity to the donor side photoinhibition of PS2) was investigated. The degree of photoinhibition was estimated by the loss of the capability of exogenous electron donor (sodium ascorbate) to reactivate the electron transport (measured by light-induced changes of chlorophyll fluorescence yield (∆F)) in apo-WOC-PS2. It was found that 1M trehalose enhanced the Mn 2+ -dependent suppression of photoinhibition of apo-WOC-PS2: in the presence of trehalose the addition of 0.2μM Mn 2+ (corresponding to 2 Mn 2+ per one reaction center) was sufficient for an almost complete suppression of the donor side photoinhibition of the complex. In the absence of trehalose it was necessary to add 100μM Mn 2+ to achieve a similar result. The effect of trehalose was observed during photoinhibition of apo-WOC-PS2 at low (15μmolphotons -1 m -2 ) and high (200μmolphotons -1 m -2 ) light intensity. When Mn 2+ was replaced by other PS2 electron donors (ferrocyanide, DPC) as well as by Ca 2+ the protective effect of trehalose was not observed. It was also found that 1M trehalose decreased photoinhibition of apo-WOC-PS2 if the samples contained endogenous manganese (1-2 Mn ions per one RC was enough for the maximum protection effect). It is concluded that structural changes in PS2 caused by the addition of trehalose enhance the capability of photochemical reaction centers of apo-WOC-PS2 to accept electrons from manganese (both exogenous and endogenous), which in turn leads to a considerable suppression of the donor side photoinhibition of PS2. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Infected donors in renal transplantation: expanding the donor pool.

    PubMed

    Outerelo, C; Gouveia, R; Mateus, A; Cruz, P; Oliveira, C; Ramos, A

    2013-04-01

    The shortage of suitable organ donors is now the most important limiting factor in the field of transplantation and more expanded criteria have been accepted to overcome this problem. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the outcome of patients who received an organ from an infected donor and to compare them with patients who received organs from noninfected donors. Retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent transplantation in our unit between January 2008 and June 2011 was performed. The definition of infected donor included: (1) documented bacteremia at the time of transplantation; and (2) organ-related infection, either with or without isolation from biological products (urine, liquor, and bronchial secretions). Nineteen of 77 transplant recipients (24.7%) received organs from infected donors. There were 9 cases of pneumonia, 4 cases of meningitis with bacteremia, 5 cases of urinary tract infection, 1 case of bacteremia due to Staphylococcus aureus, and 1 case of ventriculo-peritoneal shunt infection. All these recipients were prescribed antibiotic prophylaxis for 10.9 ± 3.2 days, according to the antibiotic administered to the donor. Significant differences between both groups were not observed concerning demographics features, graft thrombosis, arterial disruption, delayed graft function, rejection episodes, and renal graft and patient survivals at 12 months. The recipients of infected donor kidneys were mostly treated with basiliximab for induction therapy. There was a trend toward fewer infectious complications among patients who received organs from infected donors (21.1% vs 44.8%; P = .065) and shorter hospital stay durations (median, 11 vs 17.5 days; P = .041). Kidney transplantation using organs from infected donors did not seem to be associated with a greater risk of complications. Antibiotic therapy initiated in the donor and continued in the recipient may explain these results, perhaps by reducing infectious complications that

  14. Allogeneic blood stem cell transplantation: considerations for donors.

    PubMed

    Anderlini, P; Körbling, M; Dale, D; Gratwohl, A; Schmitz, N; Stroncek, D; Howe, C; Leitman, S; Horowitz, M; Gluckman, E; Rowley, S; Przepiorka, D; Champlin, R

    1997-08-01

    Allogeneic transplantation of cytokine-mobilized peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) is now being increasingly performed, but safety considerations for hematologically normal PBSC donors have not been fully addressed. Progenitors are generally mobilized for collection from normal donors using recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF). Although the short-term safety profile of rhG-CSF seems acceptable, experience remains limited and its optimal dose and schedule have not been defined. Minimal data exist regarding long-term safety of rhG-CSF, primarily derived from experience in patients with chronic neutropenia or cancer. An "ad hoc" workshop was recently convened among a group of investigators actively involved in the field of allogeneic stem cell transplantation to discuss the safety issues pertaining to normal PBSC donors. There was agreement on the following points: (1) On the basis of available data, it appears that rhG-CSF treatment and PBSC collection have an acceptable short-term safety profile in normal donors. However, the need for continued safety monitoring was recognized. (2) rhG-CSF doses up to 10 microg/kg/d show a consistent dose-response relationship with the mobilization (and collection) of CD34+ progenitor cells, and this dose is acceptable for routine clinical use. Whether higher doses are superior (or cost effective) remains to be determined, and they may produce more severe side effects. The potential risks of marked leukocytosis (arbitrarily defined as a leukocyte count of more than 70 x 10(9)/L) have been a concern, and rhG-CSF dose reduction is performed by many centers to maintain leukocyte counts below this level. (3) Transient post donation cytopenias, involving granulocytes, lymphocytes, and platelets, may occur and are at least partly related to the leukapheresis procedure. These are generally asymptomatic and self-limited; follow-up blood counts are not necessarily required. Reinfusion of autologous platelet

  15. Associations of health status with subsequent blood donor behavior-An alternative perspective on the Healthy Donor Effect from Donor InSight.

    PubMed

    van den Hurk, Katja; Zalpuri, Saurabh; Prinsze, Femmeke J; Merz, Eva-Maria; de Kort, Wim L A M

    2017-01-01

    In donor health research, the 'Healthy Donor Effect' (HDE) often biases study results and hampers their interpretation. This refers to the fact that donors are a selected 'healthier' subset of a population due to both donor selection procedures and self-selection. Donors with long versus short donor careers, or with high versus low donation intensities are often compared to avoid this HDE, but underlying health differences might also cause these differences in behaviour. Our aim was to estimate to what extent a donor´s perceived health status associates with donation cessation and intensity. All active whole blood donors participating in Donor InSight (2007-2009; 11,107 male; 12,616 female) were included in this prospective cohort study. We performed Cox survival and Poisson regression analyses to assess whether self-reported health status, medication use, disease diagnosed by a physician and recently having consulted a general practitioner (GP) or specialist were associated with (time to) donation cessation and donation intensity. At the end of 2013, 44% of the donors in this study had stopped donating. Donors in self-rated good health had a 15% lower risk to stop donating compared to donors in perceived poorer health. Medication use, disease diagnoses and consulting a GP were associated with a 20-40% increased risk to stop donating and a lower donation intensity, when adjusting for age, number of donations and new donor status. Both men and women reporting good health made on average 10% more donations. Donors with a "good" health status were less likely to stop donating blood and tended to donate blood more often than donors with perceived poorer health status. This implies that the HDE is an important source of selection bias in studies on donor health and this includes studies where comparisons within donors are made. This HDE should be adjusted for appropriately when assessing health effects of donation and donors' health status may provide estimates of

  16. Feelings of living donors about adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation.

    PubMed

    Kusakabe, Tomoko; Irie, Shinji; Ito, Naomi; Kazuma, Keiko

    2008-01-01

    This study investigated the feelings of living donors about adult-to-adult liver transplantation. We interviewed 18 donors about their feelings before and after transplantation using semistructured interviews and then conducted a content analysis of their responses. Before transplantation, many donors reported that they wanted recipients to live for the donor or his or her family, and there was no one else to donate. Many donors were not anxious, did not feel coerced, and did not consider donation dangerous. Some reported being excited at facing a new experience. Some said they would not mind whatever happens. Others were anxious or unsure about the operation. Diagnostic testing and preoperative blood banking were painful. Donors experienced increasing stress just before the operation. After transplantation, some donors verbalized feeling more grateful to others and that they gained maturity. Throughout the process, donors were concerned about their recipients. Our results suggest that donors might act for themselves or their family. It is important to recognize the varied responses of donors' feelings toward liver transplant recipients.

  17. Outcomes of strategic alternative donor selection or suspending donor search based on Japan Marrow Donor Program coordination status.

    PubMed

    Kawashima, Naomi; Nishiwaki, Satoshi; Shimizu, Naoko; Kamoshita, Sonoko; Watakabe, Kyoko; Yokohata, Emi; Kurahashi, Shingo; Ozawa, Yukiyasu; Miyamura, Koichi

    2018-05-01

    In allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) from unrelated donors, delays in donor search are adversely associated with patient outcome. However, the optimal duration for either waiting for an unrelated donor or selecting alternative sources remains undetermined. Using data from the Japan Marrow Donor Program (JMDP) registry, we retrospectively analyzed 349 adult patients who had searched for unrelated donors. Two hundred and three patients received allo-HSCT from JMDP donors (Group A) with a median of 140 days required to identify a donor, 60 received allo-HSCT from alternative sources (Group B) after a median of 111.5 days at which point either all donor candidates had failed or the patient achieved a second or subsequent complete remission, and 77 suspended allo-HSCT (Group C) after a median of 310 days. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate in Group A was superior to that of Group C (48.6 vs 38.5%, P = 0.001). Although Group B included more patients with high or very high disease risk index (DRI) at the time of allo-HSCT compared with Group A, the 5-year OS was not significantly different between Groups A and B (48.6 vs 40.9%, P = 0.07), indicating that switching to alternative donors may benefit patients with high DRI.

  18. Experimental confirmation of the predicted shallow donor hydrogen state in zinc oxide.

    PubMed

    Cox, S F; Davis, E A; Cottrell, S P; King, P J; Lord, J S; Gil, J M; Alberto, H V; Vilão, R C; Piroto Duarte, J; Ayres de Campos, N; Weidinger, A; Lichti, R L; Irvine, S J

    2001-03-19

    We confirm the recent prediction that interstitial protium may act as a shallow donor in zinc oxide, by direct spectroscopic observation of its muonium counterpart. On implantation into ZnO, positive muons--chemically analogous to protons in this context--form paramagnetic centers below about 40 K. The muon-electron contact hyperfine interaction, as well as the temperature and activation energy for ionization, imply a shallow level. Similar results for the cadmium chalcogenides suggest that such shallow donor states are generic to the II-VI compounds. The donor level depths should serve as a guide for the electrical activity of interstitial hydrogen.

  19. Improvement of photovoltaic performance by substituent effect of donor and acceptor structure of TPA-based dye-sensitized solar cells.

    PubMed

    Inostroza, Natalia; Mendizabal, Fernando; Arratia-Pérez, Ramiro; Orellana, Carlos; Linares-Flores, Cristian

    2016-01-01

    We report a computational study of a series of organic dyes built with triphenylamine (TPA) as an electron donor group. We designed a set of six dyes called (TPA-n, where n = 0-5). In order to enhance the electron-injection process, the electron-donor effect of some specific substituent was studied. Thus, we gave insights into the rational design of organic TPA-based chromophores for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In addition, we report the HOMO, LUMO, the calculated excited state oxidized potential E(dye*)(eV) and the free energy change for electron-injection ΔGinject(eV), and the UV-visible absorption bands for TPA-n dyes by a time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) procedure at the B3LYP and CAM-B3LYP levels with solvent effect. The results demonstrate that the introduction of the electron-acceptor groups produces an intramolecular charge transfer showing a shift of the absorption wavelengths of TPA-n under studies. Graphical Abstract Several organic dyes TPA-n with different donors and acceptors are modeled. A strong conjugation acrros the donor and anchoring groips (TPA-n) bas been studied. Candidate TPA-3 shows a promising results.

  20. Photoinduced electron transfer in covalent ruthenium-anthraquinone dyads: relative importance of driving-force, solvent polarity, and donor-bridge energy gap.

    PubMed

    Hankache, Jihane; Wenger, Oliver S

    2012-02-28

    Four rigid rod-like molecules comprised of a Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) photosensitizer, a 9,10-anthraquinone electron acceptor, and a molecular bridge connecting the two redox partners were synthesized and investigated by optical spectroscopic and electrochemical means. An attempt was made to assess the relative importance of driving-force, solvent polarity, and bridge variation on the rates of photoinduced electron transfer in these molecules. Expectedly, introduction of tert-butyl substituents in the bipyridine ligands of the ruthenium complex and a change in solvent from dichloromethane to acetonitrile lead to a significant acceleration of charge transfer rates. In dichloromethane, photoinduced electron transfer is not competitive with the inherent excited-state deactivation processes of the photosensitizer. In acetonitrile, an increase in driving-force by 0.2 eV through attachment of tert-butyl substituents to the bpy ancillary ligands causes an increase in electron transfer rates by an order of magnitude. Replacement of a p-xylene bridge by a p-dimethoxybenzene spacer entails an acceleration of charge transfer rates by a factor of 3.5. In the dyads from this study, the relative order of importance of individual influences on electron transfer rates is therefore as follows: solvent polarity ≥ driving-force > donor-bridge energy gap.

  1. Reduction of electron accumulation at InN(0001) surfaces via saturation of surface states by potassium and oxygen as donor- or acceptor-type adsorbates

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Eisenhardt, A.; Reiß, S.; Krischok, S., E-mail: stefan.krischok@tu-ilmenau.de

    2014-01-28

    The influence of selected donor- and acceptor-type adsorbates on the electronic properties of InN(0001) surfaces is investigated implementing in-situ photoelectron spectroscopy. The changes in work function, surface band alignment, and chemical bond configurations are characterized during deposition of potassium and exposure to oxygen. Although an expected opponent charge transfer characteristic is observed with potassium donating its free electron to InN, while dissociated oxygen species extract partial charge from the substrate, a reduction of the surface electron accumulation occurs in both cases. This observation can be explained by adsorbate-induced saturation of free dangling bonds at the InN resulting in the disappearancemore » of surface states, which initially pin the Fermi level and induce downward band bending.« less

  2. Extended criteria donors in liver transplantation: adapting donor quality and recipient.

    PubMed

    Gastaca, M

    2009-04-01

    Despite the progressive increase in the number of liver transplantations, the mortality on the waiting list remains between 5% and 10%, and patients have to deal with longer waiting periods. Facing this situation, transplant centers have developed alternatives to increase the number of grafts by accepting donors who were previously considered to be inadequate, because they are at higher risk of initial poor function and graft failure or may cause disease transmission. Currently, some marginal donors are being routinely used: elderly donors, steatotic grafts, non-heart-beating donors, hepatitis C virus-positive (HCV+) or hepatitis B core antibody-positive donors. These so-called marginal or extended-criteria donors were initially used in high-risk or urgent recipients; however, the number of marginal grafts has significantly increased, forcing the transplant community toward their more rationale use to maintain excellent results of liver transplantation. In this new scenario, the adequacy between donor and recipient may be paramount. Advanced donor age seems to be related to a greater graft failure rate in HCV+ recipients. Early survival seems to be significantly reduced when steatotic grafts are used in recipients with high Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores. Moreover, a decreased survival has been observed among high-risk patients receiving organs from marginal donors. No benefit seems to exist when high-donor risk index grafts are transplanted into recipients with low MELD Scores. The recognition of various donor groups according to their quality and the need for good donor and recipient selection must lead us to define new policies for organ allocation of marginal grafts that may come into conflict with current policies of organ allocation according to the risk of death among patients awaiting a liver transplantation.

  3. Travel behavior and deferral of Dutch blood donors: consequences for donor availability.

    PubMed

    Lieshout-Krikke, Ryanne W; Oei, Welling; Habets, Karin; Pasker-de Jong, Pieternel C M

    2015-01-01

    Donors returning from areas with outbreaks of infectious diseases may donate infectious blood back home. Geographic donor deferral is an effective measure to ensure the blood safety, but donor deferral may pose a threat for the blood supply especially after holiday seasons. Insight into the travel behavior of blood donors is a first step to define appropriate deferral strategies. This study describes the travel behavior of Dutch donors, the actual deferral, and the consequences of deferral strategies on donor availability. A questionnaire designed to assess travel behavior (destination, frequency, and duration of travels) was sent to 2000 Dutch donors. The impact of travel deferral policies on donor availability was calculated, expressed as proportionate decrease in donor availability. The deferral policies considered were 1) deferral based on entire countries instead of affected regions where an infection is prevalent and 2) deferral after any travel outside Europe ("universal deferral"). Of the 1340 respondents, 790 (58.9%) donors traveled within Europe only, 61 (4.6%) outside Europe only, and 250 (18.7%) within and outside Europe. The deferral for entire countries and universal deferral would lead to 11.1 and 11.4% decrease in donor availability, respectively. Most Dutch donors traveled outside the Netherlands, while 23.2% traveled outside Europe. Universal deferral resulted in an additional decrease in donor availability of 0.3% compared with deferral for entire countries instead of affected regions where an infection is prevalent. Thus, the universal deferral could be considered as a simpler and safer measure. © 2014 AABB.

  4. Alcohols as hydrogen-donor solvents for treatment of coal

    DOEpatents

    Ross, David S.; Blessing, James E.

    1981-01-01

    A method for the hydroconversion of coal by solvent treatment at elevated temperatures and pressure wherein an alcohol having an .alpha.-hydrogen atom, particularly a secondary alcohol such as isopropanol, is utilized as a hydrogen donor solvent. In a particular embodiment, a base capable of providing a catalytically effective amount of the corresponding alcoholate anion under the solvent treatment conditions is added to catalyze the alcohol-coal reaction.

  5. Utilization of elderly donors in living donor liver transplantation: when more is less?

    PubMed

    Dayangac, Murat; Taner, C Burcin; Yaprak, Onur; Demirbas, Tolga; Balci, Deniz; Duran, Cihan; Yuzer, Yildiray; Tokat, Yaman

    2011-05-01

    An accepted definition of donor exclusion criteria has not been established for living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). The use of elderly donors to expand the living donor pool raises ethical concerns about donor safety. The aims of this study were (1) the comparison of the postoperative outcomes of living liver donors by age (≥ 50 versus < 50 years) and (2) the evaluation of the impact of the extent of right hepatectomy on donor outcomes. The study group included 150 donors who underwent donor right hepatectomy between October 2004 and April 2009. Extended criteria surgery (ECS) was defined as right hepatectomy with middle hepatic vein (MHV) harvesting or right hepatectomy resulting in an estimated remnant liver volume (RLV) less than 35%. The primary endpoints were donor outcomes in terms of donor complications graded according to the Clavien classification. Group 1 consisted of donors who were 50 years old or older (n = 28), and group 2 consisted of donors who were less than 50 years old (n = 122). At least 1 ECS criterion was present in 74% of donors: 57% had 1 criterion, and 17% had 2 criteria. None of the donors had grade 4 complications or died. The overall and major complication rates were similar in the 2 donor age groups [28.6% and 14.3% in group 1 and 32% and 8.2% in group 2 for the overall complication rates (P = 0.8) and the major complication rates (P = 0.2), respectively]. However, there was a significant correlation between the rate of major complications and the type of surgery in donors who were 50 years old or older. In LDLT, extending the limits of surgery comes at the price of more complications in elderly donors. Right hepatectomy with MHV harvesting and any procedure causing an RLV less than 35% should be avoided in living liver donors who are 50 years old or older. Copyright © 2011 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

  6. Donor impurity incorporation during layer growth of Zn II-VI semiconductors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barlow, D. A.

    2017-12-01

    The maximum halogen donor concentration in Zn II-VI semiconductors during layer growth is studied using a standard model from statistical mechanics. Here the driving force for incorporation is an increase in entropy upon mixing of the donor impurity into the available anion lattice sites in the host binary. A formation energy opposes this increase and thus equilibrium is attained at some maximum concentration. Considering the halogen donor impurities within the Zn II-VI binary semiconductors ZnO, ZnS, ZnSe and ZnTe, a heat of reaction obtained from reported diatomic bond strengths is shown to be directly proportional to the log of maximum donor concentration. The formation energy can then be estimated and an expression for maximum donor concentration derived. Values for the maximum donor concentration with each of the halogen impurities, within the Zn II-VI compounds, are computed. This model predicts that the halogens will serve as electron donors in these compounds in order of increasing effectiveness as: F, Br, I, Cl. Finally, this result is taken to be equivalent to an alternative model where donor concentration depends upon impurity diffusion and the conduction band energy shift due to a depletion region at the growing crystal's surface. From this, we are able to estimate the diffusion activation energy for each of the impurities mentioned above. Comparisons are made with reported values and relevant conclusions presented.

  7. Photo-induced electron transfer method

    DOEpatents

    Wohlgemuth, R.; Calvin, M.

    1984-01-24

    The efficiency of photo-induced electron transfer reactions is increased and the back transfer of electrons in such reactions is greatly reduced when a photo-sensitizer zinc porphyrin-surfactant and an electron donor manganese porphyrin-surfactant are admixed into phospholipid membranes. The phospholipids comprising said membranes are selected from phospholipids whose head portions are negatively charged. Said membranes are contacted with an aqueous medium in which an essentially neutral viologen electron acceptor is admixed. Catalysts capable of transferring electrons from reduced viologen electron acceptor to hydrogen to produce elemental hydrogen are also included in the aqueous medium. An oxidizable olefin is also admixed in the phospholipid for the purpose of combining with oxygen that coordinates with oxidized electron donor manganese porphyrin-surfactant.

  8. Photo-induced electron transfer method

    DOEpatents

    Wohlgemuth, Roland; Calvin, Melvin

    1984-01-01

    The efficiency of photo-induced electron transfer reactions is increased and the back transfer of electrons in such reactions is greatly reduced when a photo-sensitizer zinc porphyrin-surfactant and an electron donor manganese porphyrin-surfactant are admixed into phospho-lipid membranes. The phospholipids comprising said membranes are selected from phospholipids whose head portions are negatively charged. Said membranes are contacted with an aqueous medium in which an essentially neutral viologen electron acceptor is admixed. Catalysts capable of transfering electrons from reduced viologen electron acceptor to hydrogen to produce elemental hydrogen are also included in the aqueous medium. An oxidizable olefin is also admixed in the phospholipid for the purpose of combining with oxygen that coordinates with oxidized electron donor manganese porphyrin-surfactant.

  9. Donor motivation in Xi'an, China: comparison with Canadian donors.

    PubMed

    O'Brien, S F; Shao, Z-J; Osmond, L; Yi, Q-L; Li, C-Y; An, Q-X

    2013-04-01

    In China, paid donation is prohibited by law. There is little literature assessing donor motivation in China, and comparison with western countries such as Canada is important in understanding the application of Western literature. We compared motivational factors in donors from the city of Xi'an, China, with Canadian donors matched for age, sex and donation status. A total of 218 donors in Xi'an completed an interview about motivation as did 218 Canadian donors matched for age, sex and donation status. Frequencies and percentages of responses to questions were tabulated and compared using the Chi-squared test. Donors in Xi'an and Canada felt a personal responsibility to donate blood (81·2% vs. 78·0%, P = 0·2057), but Xi'an donors were more likely to consider blood donation a social responsibility (81·7% vs. 45·2%, P < 0·0001). Xi'an donors more often believed that society views donation as a normal activity (98·6% vs. 48·4%, P < 0·0001) and that the social atmosphere promotes donation (90·3% vs. 53·5%, P < 0·0001) and saw greater health benefit (52·3% vs. 12·5%, P < 0·0001). Most Xi'an donors believed in balance between their life force (Qi) and blood (86·7% vs. 49·8%, P < 0·0001) but did not believe blood lost from donating would affect this (0·5% vs. 3·8%, P = 0·01). While traditional Chinese beliefs may not be seen as a barrier among people in Xi'an who donate blood, blood donation is seen differently than by Canadian donors. There is a need for more research specific to China to tailor recruitment strategies. © 2012 The Author(s). Vox Sanguinis © 2012 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

  10. Reductive dechlorination of trichloroethene DNAPL source zones: source zone architecture versus electron donor availability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krol, M.; Kokkinaki, A.; Sleep, B.

    2014-12-01

    The persistence of dense-non-aqueous-phase liquids (DNAPLs) in the subsurface has led practitioners and regulatory agencies to turn towards low-maintenance, low-cost remediation methods. Biological degradation has been suggested as a possible solution, based on the well-proven ability of certain microbial species to break down dissolved chlorinated ethenes under favorable conditions. However, the biodegradation of pure phase chlorinated ethenes is subject to additional constraints: the continuous release of electron acceptor at a rate governed by mass transfer kinetics, and the temporal and spatial heterogeneity of DNAPL source zones which leads to spatially and temporally variable availability of the reactants for reductive dechlorination. In this work, we investigate the relationship between various DNAPL source zone characteristics and reaction kinetics using COMPSIM, a multiphase groundwater model that considers non-equilibrium mass transfer and Monod-type kinetics for reductive dechlorination. Numerical simulations are performed for simple, homogeneous trichloroethene DNAPL source zones to demonstrate the effect of single source zone characteristics, as well as for larger, more realistic heterogeneous source zones. It is shown that source zone size, and mass transfer kinetics may have a decisive effect on the predicted bio-enhancement. Finally, we evaluate the performance of DNAPL bioremediation for realistic, thermodynamically constrained, concentrations of electron donor. Our results indicate that the latter may be the most important limitation for the success of DNAPL bioremediation, leading to reduced bio-enhancement and, in many cases, comparable performance with water flooding.

  11. Donor milk volume and characteristics of donors and their children.

    PubMed

    Sierra-Colomina, Gemma; García-Lara, Nadia Raquel; Escuder-Vieco, Diana; Alonso-Díaz, Clara; Esteban, Eva María Andrés; Pallás-Alonso, Carmen Rosa

    2014-05-01

    Little is known regarding the effect of the characteristics of donors and their children on the volume of donor milk delivered to a human milk bank (HMB). Our study aimed to determine the relationship between different social and demographic variables of donors and their infants with the volume of human milk delivered. We included donors accepted at the Hospital Doce de Octubre HMB from January 1st, 2009 until April 31st, 2013, and who had finished their donation. Data of social and demographic characteristics of the donors and their children, and the total volume of DHM given were obtained from our HMB database. Included variables were previous donors, donor age, number of children, place of residence, gestational age of the infant at birth, child's age at the start of the donation, hospital admission, and death of the infant. A linear regression model was used to study the relationship between independent variables that were significant in bivariate analysis and the volume of donated milk. A total of 415 donations from 391 women were included. The median volume of milk delivered was 3.1l (IQR-interquartile range-1.3-8.3l). In the linear regression model, previous donors, smaller gestational age of children, and the start of donation at earlier stages of lactation were associated with a larger quantity of HMB donated (p≤0.001). Previous donors, smaller gestational age of children, and the start of donation at earlier stages of lactation are associated with a larger quantity of milk donated to the HMB. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Simulation shows that HLA-matched stem cell donors can remain unidentified in donor searches

    PubMed Central

    Sauter, Jürgen; Solloch, Ute V.; Giani, Anette S.; Hofmann, Jan A.; Schmidt, Alexander H.

    2016-01-01

    The heterogeneous nature of HLA information in real-life stem cell donor registries may hamper unrelated donor searches. It is even possible that fully HLA-matched donors with incomplete HLA information are not identified. In our simulation study, we estimated the probability of these unnecessarily failed donor searches. For that purpose, we carried out donor searches in several virtual donor registries. The registries differed by size, composition with respect to HLA typing levels, and genetic diversity. When up to three virtual HLA typing requests were allowed within donor searches, the share of unnecessarily failed donor searches ranged from 1.19% to 4.13%, thus indicating that non-identification of completely HLA-matched stem cell donors is a problem of practical relevance. The following donor registry characteristics were positively correlated with the share of unnecessarily failed donor searches: large registry size, high genetic diversity, and, most strongly correlated, large fraction of registered donors with incomplete HLA typing. Increasing the number of virtual HLA typing requests within donor searches up to ten had a smaller effect. It follows that the problem of donor non-identification can be substantially reduced by complete high-resolution HLA typing of potential donors. PMID:26876789

  13. Simulation shows that HLA-matched stem cell donors can remain unidentified in donor searches

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sauter, Jürgen; Solloch, Ute V.; Giani, Anette S.; Hofmann, Jan A.; Schmidt, Alexander H.

    2016-02-01

    The heterogeneous nature of HLA information in real-life stem cell donor registries may hamper unrelated donor searches. It is even possible that fully HLA-matched donors with incomplete HLA information are not identified. In our simulation study, we estimated the probability of these unnecessarily failed donor searches. For that purpose, we carried out donor searches in several virtual donor registries. The registries differed by size, composition with respect to HLA typing levels, and genetic diversity. When up to three virtual HLA typing requests were allowed within donor searches, the share of unnecessarily failed donor searches ranged from 1.19% to 4.13%, thus indicating that non-identification of completely HLA-matched stem cell donors is a problem of practical relevance. The following donor registry characteristics were positively correlated with the share of unnecessarily failed donor searches: large registry size, high genetic diversity, and, most strongly correlated, large fraction of registered donors with incomplete HLA typing. Increasing the number of virtual HLA typing requests within donor searches up to ten had a smaller effect. It follows that the problem of donor non-identification can be substantially reduced by complete high-resolution HLA typing of potential donors.

  14. Electric-field control of a hydrogenic donor's spin in a semiconductor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de, Amrit; Pryor, Craig E.; Flatté, Michael E.

    2009-03-01

    The orbital wave function of an electron bound to a single donor in a semiconductor can be modulated by an applied AC electric field, which affects the electron spin dynamics via the spin-orbit interaction. Numerical calculations of the spin dynamics of a single hydrogenic donor (Si) using a real-space multi-band k.p formalism show that in addition to breaking the high symmetry of the hydrogenic donor state, the g-tensor has a strong nonlinear dependence on the applied fields. By explicitly integrating the time dependent Schr"odinger equation it is seen that Rabi oscillations can be obtained for electric fields modulated at sub-harmonics of the Larmor frequency. The Rabi frequencies obtained from sub-harmonic modulation depend on the magnitudes of the AC and DC components of the electric field. For a purely AC field, the highest Rabi frequency is obtained when E is driven at the 2nd sub-harmonic of the Larmor frequency. Apart from suggesting ways to measure g-tensor anisotropies and nonlinearities, these results also suggest the possibility of direct frequency domain measurements of Rabi frequencies.

  15. Donor morbidity in right and left hemiliver living donor liver transplantation: the impact of graft selection and surgical innovation on donor safety.

    PubMed

    Iwasaki, Junji; Iida, Taku; Mizumoto, Masaki; Uemura, Tadahiro; Yagi, Shintaro; Hori, Tomohide; Ogawa, Kohei; Fujimoto, Yasuhiro; Mori, Akira; Kaido, Toshimi; Uemoto, Shinji

    2014-11-01

    This study investigated adequate liver graft selection for donor safety by comparing postoperative donor liver function and morbidity between the right and left hemilivers (RL and LL, respectively) of living donors. Between April 2006 and March 2012, RL (n = 168) and LL (n = 140) donor operations were performed for liver transplantation at Kyoto University Hospital. Postoperative hyperbilirubinemia and coagulopathy persisted in RL donors, whereas the liver function of LL donors normalized more rapidly. The overall complication rate of the RL donors was significantly higher than that of the LL donors (59.5% vs. 30.7%; P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in severe complications worse than Clavien grade IIIa or in biliary complication rates between the two donor groups. In April 2006, we introduced an innovative surgical procedure: hilar dissection preserving the blood supply to the bile duct during donor hepatectomy. Compared with our previous outcomes (1990-2006), the biliary complication rate of the RL donors decreased from 12.2% to 7.2%, and the severity of these complications was significantly lower. In conclusion, LL donors demonstrated good recovery in postoperative liver function and lower morbidity, and our surgical innovations reduced the severity of biliary complications in living donors. © 2014 Steunstichting ESOT.

  16. A Proposed Integration Environment for Enhanced User Interaction and Value-Adding of Electronic Documents: An Empirical Evaluation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liew, Chern Li; Chennupati, K. R.; Foo, Schubert

    2001-01-01

    Explores the potential and impact of an innovative information environment in enhancing user activities in using electronic documents for various tasks, and to support the value-adding of these e-documents. Discusses the conceptual design and prototyping of a proposed environment, PROPIE. Presents an empirical and formative evaluation of the…

  17. Electron Bifurcation: Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Two-Electron Brokering in Biological Redox Chemistry.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Peng; Yuly, Jonathon L; Lubner, Carolyn E; Mulder, David W; King, Paul W; Peters, John W; Beratan, David N

    2017-09-19

    How can proteins drive two electrons from a redox active donor onto two acceptors at very different potentials and distances? And how can this transaction be conducted without dissipating very much energy or violating the laws of thermodynamics? Nature appears to have addressed these challenges by coupling thermodynamically uphill and downhill electron transfer reactions, using two-electron donor cofactors that have very different potentials for the removal of the first and second electron. Although electron bifurcation is carried out with near perfection from the standpoint of energy conservation and electron delivery yields, it is a biological energy transduction paradigm that has only come into focus recently. This Account provides an exegesis of the biophysical principles that underpin electron bifurcation. Remarkably, bifurcating electron transfer (ET) proteins typically send one electron uphill and one electron downhill by similar energies, such that the overall reaction is spontaneous, but not profligate. Electron bifurcation in the NADH-dependent reduced ferredoxin: NADP + oxidoreductase I (Nfn) is explored in detail here. Recent experimental progress in understanding the structure and function of Nfn allows us to dissect its workings in the framework of modern ET theory. The first electron that leaves the two-electron donor flavin (L-FAD) executes a positive free energy "uphill" reaction, and the departure of this electron switches on a second thermodynamically spontaneous ET reaction from the flavin along a second pathway that moves electrons in the opposite direction and at a very different potential. The singly reduced ET products formed from the bifurcating flavin are more than two nanometers distant from each other. In Nfn, the second electron to leave the flavin is much more reducing than the first: the potentials are said to be "crossed." The eventually reduced cofactors, NADH and ferredoxin in the case of Nfn, perform crucial downstream redox

  18. Donor, dad, or…? Young adults with lesbian parents' experiences with known donors.

    PubMed

    Goldberg, Abbie E; Allen, Katherine R

    2013-06-01

    In this exploratory qualitative study of 11 young adults, ages 19-29 years, we examine how young people who were raised by lesbian parents make meaning out of and construct their relationships with known donors. In-depth interviews were conducted to examine how participants defined their family composition, how they perceived the role of their donors in their lives, and how they negotiated their relationships with their donors. Findings indicate that mothers typically chose known donors who were family friends, that the majority of participants always knew who their donors were, and that their contact with donors ranged from minimal to involved. Further, participants perceived their donors in one of three ways: as strictly donors and not members of their family; as extended family members but not as parents; and as fathers. The more limited role of donors in participants' construction of family relationships sheds light on how children raised in lesbian, gay, and bisexual families are contributing to the redefinition and reconstruction of complex kinship arrangements. Our findings hold implications for clinicians who work with lesbian-mother families, and suggest that young adulthood is an important developmental phase during which interest in and contact with the donor may shift, warranting a transfer of responsibility from mother to offspring in terms of managing the donor-child relationship. © FPI, Inc.

  19. The C-type Arabidopsis thioredoxin reductase ANTR-C acts as an electron donor to 2-Cys peroxiredoxins in chloroplasts

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Moon, Jeong Chan; Jang, Ho Hee; Chae, Ho Byoung

    2006-09-22

    2-Cys peroxiredoxins (Prxs) play important roles in the antioxidative defense systems of plant chloroplasts. In order to determine the interaction partner for these proteins in Arabidopsis, we used a yeast two-hybrid screening procedure with a C175S-mutant of Arabidopsis 2-Cys Prx-A as bait. A cDNA encoding an NADPH-dependent thioredoxin reductase (NTR) isotype C was identified and designated ANTR-C. We demonstrated that this protein effected efficient transfer of electrons from NADPH to the 2-Cys Prxs of chloroplasts. Interaction between 2-Cys Prx-A and ANTR-C was confirmed by a pull-down experiment. ANTR-C contained N-terminal TR and C-terminal Trx domains. It exhibited both TR andmore » Trx activities and co-localized with 2-Cys Prx-A in chloroplasts. These results suggest that ANTR-C functions as an electron donor for plastidial 2-Cys Prxs and represents the NADPH-dependent TR/Trx system in chloroplasts.« less

  20. Next Generation Highly Conducting Organic Films Using Novel Donor-Acceptor Molecules for Opto-electronic Applications

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-06-01

    addition, a new class of donor molecules was invented in the course of the DRI program. 2.1 Polymer Based Donor-acceptor Material The following work by...average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data...information, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information

  1. Enhanced dimethyl phthalate biodegradation by accelerating phthalic acid di-oxygenation.

    PubMed

    Tang, Yingxia; Zhang, Yongming; Jiang, Ling; Yang, Chao; Rittmann, Bruce E

    2017-12-01

    The aerobic biodegradation of dimethyl phthalate (DMP) is initiated with two hydrolysis reactions that generate an intermediate, phthalic acid (PA), that is further biodegraded through a two-step di-oxygenation reaction. DMP biodegradation is inhibited when PA accumulates, but DMP's biodegradation can be enhanced by adding an exogenous electron donor. We evaluated the effect of adding succinate, acetate, or formate as an exogenous electron donor. PA removal rates were increased by 15 and 30% for initial PA concentrations of 0.3 and 0.6 mM when 0.15 and 0.30 mM succinate, respectively, were added as exogenous electron donor. The same electron-equivalent additions of acetate and formate had the same acceleration impacts on PA removal. Consequently, the DMP-removal rate, even PA coexisting with DMP simultaneously, was accelerated by 37% by simultaneous addition of 0.3 mM succinate. Thus, lowering the accumulation of PA by addition of an electron increased the rate of DMP biodegradation.

  2. Sperm donor anonymity and compensation: an experiment with American sperm donors

    PubMed Central

    Cohen, Glenn; Coan, Travis; Ottey, Michelle; Boyd, Christina

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Most sperm donation that occurs in the USA proceeds through anonymous donation. While some clinics make the identity of the sperm donor available to a donor-conceived child at age 18 as part of ‘open identification’ or ‘identity release programs,’ no US law requires clinics to do so, and the majority of individuals do not use these programs. By contrast, in many parts of the world, there have been significant legislative initiatives requiring that sperm donor identities be made available to children after a certain age (typically when the child turns 18). One major concern with prohibiting anonymous sperm donation has been that the number of willing sperm donors will decrease leading to shortages, as have been experienced in some of the countries that have prohibited sperm donor anonymity. One possible solution, suggested by prior work, would be to pay current anonymous sperm donors more per donation to continue to donate when their anonymity is removed. Using a unique sample of current anonymous and open identity sperm donors from a large sperm bank in the USA, we test that approach. As far as we know, this is the first attempt to examine what would happen if the USA adopted a prohibition on anonymous sperm donation that used the most ecologically valid population, current sperm donors. We find that 29% of current anonymous sperm donors in the sample would refuse to donate if the law changed such that they were required to put their names in a registry available to donor-conceived children at age 18. When we look at the remaining sperm donors who would be willing to participate, we find that they would demand an additional $60 per donation (using our preferred specification). We also discuss the ramifications for the industry. PMID:28852536

  3. Enhancement in Organic Photovoltaic Efficiency through the Synergistic Interplay of Molecular Donor Hydrogen Bonding and -Stacking

    DOE PAGES

    Shewmon, Nathan; Watkins, Davita; Galindo, Johan; ...

    2015-07-20

    For organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells based on the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) structure, it remains challenging to rationally control the degree of phase separation and percolation within blends of donors and acceptors to secure optimal charge separation and transport. Reported is a bottom-up, supramolecular approach to BHJ OPVs wherein tailored hydrogen bonding (H-bonding) interactions between π-conjugated electron donor molecules encourage formation of vertically aligned donor π-stacks while simultaneously suppressing lateral aggregation; the programmed arrangement facilitates fine mixing with fullerene acceptors and efficient charge transport. The approach is illustrated using conventional linear or branched quaterthiophene donor chromophores outfitted with terminal functional groupsmore » that are either capable or incapable of self-complementary H-bonding. When applied to OPVs, the H-bond capable donors yield a twofold enhancement in power conversion efficiency relative to the comparator systems, with a maximum external quantum efficiency of 64%. H-bond promoted assembly results in redshifted absorption (in neat films and donor:C 60 blends) and enhanced charge collection efficiency despite disparate donor chromophore structure. Both features positively impact photocurrent and fill factor in OPV devices. Film structural characterization by atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and grazing incidence wide angle X-ray scattering reveals a synergistic interplay of lateral H-bonding interactions and vertical π-stacking for directing the favorable morphology of the BHJ.« less

  4. Accurate donor electron wave functions from a multivalley effective mass theory.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pendo, Luke; Hu, Xuedong

    Multivalley effective mass (MEM) theories combine physical intuition with a marginal need for computational resources, but they tend to be insensitive to variations in the wavefunction. However, recent papers suggest full Bloch functions and suitable central cell donor potential corrections are essential to replicating qualitative and quantitative features of the wavefunction. In this talk, we consider a variational MEM method that can accurately predict both spectrum and wavefunction of isolated phosphorus donors. As per Gamble et. al, we employ a truncated series representation of the Bloch function with a tetrahedrally symmetric central cell correction. We use a dynamic dielectric constant, a feature commonly seen in tight-binding methods. Uniquely, we use a freely extensible basis of either all Slater- or all Gaussian-type functions. With a large basis able to capture the influence of higher energy eigenstates, this method is well positioned to consider the influence of external perturbations, such as electric field or applied strain, on the charge density. This work is supported by the US Army Research Office (W911NF1210609).

  5. Prevalence and estimated incidence of blood-borne viral pathogen infection in organ and tissue donors from northern Alberta.

    PubMed

    Zahariadis, G; Plitt, S S; O'Brien, S; Yi, Q-L; Fan, W; Preiksaitis, J K

    2007-01-01

    To determine the potential safety benefit of introducing nucleic acid testing (NAT) in tissue and organ donors, the risk of virus transmission was examined in a Canadian population. Anonymous data on Northern Alberta tissue and organ donors from 1998 to 2004 were used to determine the seroprevalence and estimate the seroincidence and residual risk of HIV, HBV, HCV and HTLV infection. Of the 3372 donors identified, 71.1% were surgical bone, 13.2% were living organ and 15.6% were deceased organ/tissue donors. Seroprevalence was: HIV 0.00%, HBV 0.09%, HCV 0.48% and HTLV 0.03%. Incidence (/100,000 p-yrs) and residual risks (/100,000 donors) could only be estimated for HBV (24.2 and 3.9) and HCV (11.2 and 2.2). Risk estimates were higher for deceased donors than surgical bone donors. HCV had the highest prevalence and HBV had the highest estimated incidence. HIV and HTLV risks were extremely low precluding accurate quantification. In this region of low overall viral prevalence, HCV NAT would be most effective in deceased organ donors. In surgical bone donors the cost of implementing NAT is high without significant added safety benefit.

  6. 5' modification of duplex DNA with a ruthenium electron donor-acceptor pair using solid-phase DNA synthesis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Frank, Natia L.; Meade, Thomas J.

    2003-01-01

    Incorporation of metalated nucleosides into DNA through covalent modification is crucial to measurement of thermal electron-transfer rates and the dependence of these rates with structure, distance, and position. Here, we report the first synthesis of an electron donor-acceptor pair of 5' metallonucleosides and their subsequent incorporation into oligonucleotides using solid-phase DNA synthesis techniques. Large-scale syntheses of metal-containing oligonucleotides are achieved using 5' modified phosporamidites containing [Ru(acac)(2)(IMPy)](2+) (acac is acetylacetonato; IMPy is 2'-iminomethylpyridyl-2'-deoxyuridine) (3) and [Ru(bpy)(2)(IMPy)](2+) (bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine; IMPy is 2'-iminomethylpyridyl-2'-deoxyuridine) (4). Duplexes formed with the metal-containing oligonucleotides exhibit thermal stability comparable to the corresponding unmetalated duplexes (T(m) of modified duplex = 49 degrees C vs T(m) of unmodified duplex = 47 degrees C). Electrochemical (3, E(1/2) = -0.04 V vs NHE; 4, E(1/2) = 1.12 V vs NHE), absorption (3, lambda(max) = 568, 369 nm; 4, lambda(max) = 480 nm), and emission (4, lambda(max) = 720 nm, tau = 55 ns, Phi = 1.2 x 10(-)(4)) data for the ruthenium-modified nucleosides and oligonucleotides indicate that incorporation into an oligonucleotide does not perturb the electronic properties of the ruthenium complex or the DNA significantly. In addition, the absence of any change in the emission properties upon metalated duplex formation suggests that the [Ru(bpy)(2)(IMPy)](2+)[Ru(acac)(2)(IMPy)](2+) pair will provide a valuable probe for DNA-mediated electron-transfer studies.

  7. Donor selection for adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation: well begun is half done.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Amit; Ashworth, April; Behnke, Martha; Cotterell, Adrian; Posner, Marc; Fisher, Robert A

    2013-02-15

    Donor selection criteria for adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation vary with the medical center of evaluation. Living donor evaluation uses considerable resources, and the nonmaturation of potential into actual donors may sometimes prove fatal for patients with end-stage liver disease. On the contrary, a thorough donor evaluation process is mandatory to ensure safe outcomes in otherwise healthy donors. We aimed to study the reasons for nonmaturation of potential right lobe liver donors at our transplant center. A retrospective data analysis of all potential living liver donors evaluated at our center from 1998 to 2010 was done. Overall, 324 donors were evaluated for 219 potential recipients, and 171 (52.7%) donors were disqualified. Common reasons for donor nonmaturation included the following: (1) donor reluctance, 21%; (2) greater than 10% macro-vesicular steatosis, 16%; (3) assisted donor withdrawal, 14%; (4) inadequate remnant liver volume, 13%; and (5) psychosocial issues, 7%, and thrombophilia, 7%. Ten donors (6%) were turned down because of anatomic variations (8 biliary and 2 arterial anomalies). Donors older than 50 years and those with body mass index of more than 25 were less likely to be accepted for donation. We conclude that donor reluctance, hepatic steatosis, and assisted donor withdrawal are major reasons for nonmaturation of potential into actual donors. Anatomic variations and underlying medical conditions were not a major cause of donor rejection. A system in practice to recognize these factors early in the course of donor evaluation to improve the efficiency of the selection process and ensure donor safety is proposed.

  8. Donor Selection for Adult- to- Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation: Well Begun is Half Done

    PubMed Central

    Sharma, Amit; Ashworth, April; Behnke, Martha; Cotterell, Adrian; Posner, Marc; Fisher, Robert A.

    2012-01-01

    Background Donor selection criteria for adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation vary with the medical center of evaluation. Living donor evaluation utilizes considerable resources and the non-maturation of potential into actual donors may sometimes prove fatal for patients with end stage liver disease. On the contrary, a thorough donor evaluation process is mandatory to ensure safe outcomes in otherwise healthy donors. We aimed to study the reasons for non-maturation of potential right lobe liver donors at our transplant center. Methods A retrospective data analysis of all potential living liver donors evaluated at our center from 1998 to 2010 was done. Results Overall 324 donors were evaluated for 219 potential recipients and 171 (52.7%) donors were disqualified. Common reasons for donor non-maturation included: (1) Donor reluctance, 21% (2) >10% macro-vesicular steatosis, 16% (3) assisted donor withdrawal, 14% (4) inadequate remnant liver volume, 13% (5) psychosocial issues, 7% and thrombophilia, 7%. Ten donors (6%) were turned down due to anatomical variations (8 biliary and 2 arterial anomalies). Donors older than 50 years and those with BMI over 25 were less likely to be accepted for donation. Conclusions We conclude that donor reluctance, hepatic steatosis and assisted donor withdrawal are major reasons for non-maturation of potential into actual donors. Anatomical variations and underlying medical conditions were not a major cause of donor rejection. A system in practice to recognize these factors early in the course of donor evaluation to improve the efficiency of the selection process and ensure donor safety is proposed. PMID:23128999

  9. Transport of spin qubits with donor chains under realistic experimental conditions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mohiyaddin, Fahd A.; Kalra, Rachpon; Laucht, Arne; Rahman, Rajib; Klimeck, Gerhard; Morello, Andrea

    2016-07-01

    The ability to transport quantum information across some distance can facilitate the design and operation of a quantum processor. One-dimensional spin chains provide a compact platform to realize scalable spin transport for a solid-state quantum computer. Here, we model odd-sized donor chains in silicon under a range of experimental nonidealities, including variability of donor position within the chain. We show that the tolerance against donor placement inaccuracies is greatly improved by operating the spin chain in a mode where the electrons are confined at the Si-SiO2 interface. We then estimate the required time scales and exchange couplings, and the level of noise that can be tolerated to achieve high-fidelity transport. We also propose a protocol to calibrate and initialize the chain, thereby providing a complete guideline for realizing a functional donor chain and utilizing it for spin transport.

  10. No-carrier-added (NCA) aryl (18E) fluorides via the nucleophilic aromatic substitution of electron rich aromatic rings

    DOEpatents

    Ding, Yu-Shin; Fowler, Joanna S.; Wolf, Alfred P.

    1993-01-01

    A method for synthesizing no-carrier-added (NCA) aryl [.sup.18 F] fluoride substituted aromatic aldehyde compositions bearing an electron donating group is described. The method of the present invention includes the step of reacting aromatic nitro aldehydes having a suitably protected hydroxyl substitutent on an electron rich ring. The reaction is The U.S. Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract Number DE-AC02-76CH00016, between the U.S. Department of Energy and Associated Universities Inc.

  11. Single molecule-level study of donor-acceptor interactions and nanoscale environment in blends

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Quist, Nicole; Grollman, Rebecca; Rath, Jeremy; Robertson, Alex; Haley, Michael; Anthony, John; Ostroverkhova, Oksana

    2017-02-01

    Organic semiconductors have attracted considerable attention due to their applications in low-cost (opto)electronic devices. The most successful organic materials for applications that rely on charge carrier generation, such as solar cells, utilize blends of several types of molecules. In blends, the local environment strongly influences exciton and charge carrier dynamics. However, relationship between nanoscale features and photophysics is difficult to establish due to the lack of necessary spatial resolution. We use functionalized fluorinated pentacene (Pn) molecule as single molecule probes of intermolecular interactions and of the nanoscale environment in blends containing donor and acceptor molecules. Single Pn donor (D) molecules were imaged in PMMA in the presence of acceptor (A) molecules using wide-field fluorescence microscopy. Two sample configurations were realized: (i) a fixed concentration of Pn donor molecules, with increasing concentration of acceptor molecules (functionalized indenflouorene or PCBM) and (ii) a fixed concentration of acceptor molecules with an increased concentration of the Pn donor. The D-A energy transfer and changes in the donor emission due to those in the acceptor- modified polymer morphology were quantified. The increase in the acceptor concentration was accompanied by enhanced photobleaching and blinking of the Pn donor molecules. To better understand the underlying physics of these processes, we modeled photoexcited electron dynamics using Monte Carlo simulations. The simulated blinking dynamics were then compared to our experimental data, and the changes in the transition rates were related to the changes in the nanoscale environment. Our study provides insight into evolution of nanoscale environment during the formation of bulk heterojunctions.

  12. Considering Tangible Benefit for Interdependent Donors: Extending a Risk-Benefit Framework in Donor Selection.

    PubMed

    Van Pilsum Rasmussen, S E; Henderson, M L; Kahn, J; Segev, D

    2017-10-01

    From its infancy, live donor transplantation has operated within a framework of acceptable risk to donors. Such a framework presumes that risks of living donation are experienced by the donor while all benefits are realized by the recipient, creating an inequitable distribution that demands minimization of donor risk. We suggest that this risk-tolerance framework ignores tangible benefits to the donor. A previously proposed framework more fully considers potential benefits to the donor and argues that risks and benefits must be balanced. We expand on this approach, and posit that donors sharing a household with and/or caring for a potential transplant patient may realize tangible benefits that are absent in a more distantly related donation (e.g. cousin, nondirected). We term these donors, whose well-being is closely tied to their recipient, "interdependent donors." A flexible risk-benefit model that combines risk assessment with benefits to interdependent donors will contribute to donor evaluation and selection that more accurately reflects what is at stake for donors. In so doing, a risk-benefit framework may allow some donors to accept greater risk in donation decisions. © 2017 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  13. Marginal donors: can older donor hearts tolerate prolonged cold ischemic storage?

    PubMed

    Korkmaz, Sevil; Bährle-Szabó, Susanne; Loganathan, Sivakkanan; Li, Shiliang; Karck, Matthias; Szabó, Gábor

    2013-10-01

    Both advanced donor age and prolonged ischemic time are significant risk factors for the 1-year mortality. However, its functional consequences have not been fully evaluated in the early-phase after transplantation; even early graft dysfunction is the main determinant of long-term outcome following transplantation. We evaluated in vivo left-ventricular (LV) cardiac and coronary vascular function of old-donor grafts after short and prolonged cold ischemic times in rats 1 h after heart transplantation. The hearts were excised from young donor (3-month-old) or old donor (18-month-old) rats, stored in cold preservation solution for either 1 or 8 h, and heterotopically transplanted. After 1 h of ischemic period, in the old-donor group, LV pressure, maximum pressure development (dP/dt max), time constant of LV pressure decay (τ), LV end-diastolic pressure and coronary blood flow did not differ compared with young donors. However, endothelium-dependent vasodilatation to acetylcholine resulted in a significantly lower response of coronary blood flow in the old-donor group (33 ± 4 vs. 51 ± 15 %, p < 0.05). After 8 h preservation, two of the old-donor hearts showed no mechanical activity upon reperfusion. LV pressure (55 ± 6 vs. 72 ± 5 mmHg, p < 0.05), dP/dt max (899 ± 221 vs. 1530 ± 217 mmHg/s, p < 0.05), coronary blood flow and response to acetylcholine were significantly reduced and τ was increased in the old-donor group in comparison to young controls. During the early-phase after transplantation, the ischemic tolerance of older-donor hearts is reduced after prolonged preservation time and the endothelium is more vulnerable to ischemia/reperfusion.

  14. Donor-transmitted, donor-derived, and de novo cancer after liver transplant.

    PubMed

    Chapman, Jeremy R; Lynch, Stephen V

    2014-03-01

    Cancer is the third most common cause of death (after cardiovascular disease and infection) for patients who have a functioning kidney allograft. Kidney and liver transplant recipients have similar cancer risks because of immunosuppression but different risks because of differences in primary diseases that cause renal and hepatic failure and the inherent behavior of cancers in the liver. There are 4 types of cancer that may develop in liver allograft recipients: (1) recurrent cancer, (2) donor-transmitted cancer, (3) donor-derived cancer, and (4) de novo cancer. Identification of potential donor cancer transmission may occur at postmortem examination of a deceased donor or when a probable donor-transmitted cancer is identified in another recipient. Donor-transmitted cancer after liver transplant is rare in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Aging of the donor pool may increase the risk of subclinical cancer in donors. Liver transplant recipients have a greater risk of de novo cancer than the general population, and risk factors for de novo cancer in liver transplant recipients include primary sclerosing cholangitis, alcoholic liver disease, smoking, and increased age. Liver transplant recipients may benefit from cancer screening because they have a high risk, are clearly identifiable, and are under continuous medical supervision.

  15. Zero risk tolerance costs lives: loss of transplantable organs due to human immunodeficiency virus nucleic acid testing of potential donors.

    PubMed

    Shafer, Teresa J; Schkade, David; Schkade, Lawrence; Geier, Steven S; Orlowski, Jeffrey P; Klintmalm, Goran

    2011-09-01

    Patients' deaths due to the organ donor shortage make it imperative that every suitable organ be transplanted. False-positive results of tests for infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) result in lost organs. A survey of US organ procurement organizations collected the numbers of donors and ruled-out potential donors who had a positive result on an HIV test from January 1,2006, to October 31, 2008. Sixty-two percent of US organ procurement organizations participated. Of the 12397 donor/nondonor cases, 56 (0.45%) had an initial positive result on an HIV antibody or HIV nucleic acid test, and only 8 (14.3%) of those were confirmed positive. Of the false-positive results, 50% were from HIV antibody tests and 50% were from HIV nucleic acid tests. Organs are a scarce, finite, and perishable resource. Use of HIV antibody testing has produced a remarkably safe track record of avoiding HIV transmission, with 22 years of nonoccurrence between transmissions. Because false positives occur with any test, including the HIV Ab test, adding nucleic acid testing to the standard donor testing panel doubles the number of false-positive HIV test results and thus the number of medically suitable donors lost. The required HIV antibody test is 99.99% effective in preventing transmission of the HIV virus. Adding the HIV nucleic acid test to routine organ donor screening could result in as many as 761 to 1551 unnecessary deaths of patients between HIV transmission events because medically suitable organs are wasted.

  16. Marginal kidney donor

    PubMed Central

    Gopalakrishnan, Ganesh; Gourabathini, Siva Prasad

    2007-01-01

    Renal transplantation is the treatment of choice for a medically eligible patient with end stage renal disease. The number of renal transplants has increased rapidly over the last two decades. However, the demand for organs has increased even more. This disparity between the availability of organs and waitlisted patients for transplants has forced many transplant centers across the world to use marginal kidneys and donors. We performed a Medline search to establish the current status of marginal kidney donors in the world. Transplant programs using marginal deceased renal grafts is well established. The focus is now on efforts to improve their results. Utilization of non-heart-beating donors is still in a plateau phase and comprises a minor percentage of deceased donations. The main concern is primary non-function of the renal graft apart from legal and ethical issues. Transplants with living donors outnumbered cadaveric transplants at many centers in the last decade. There has been an increased use of marginal living kidney donors with some acceptable medical risks. Our primary concern is the safety of the living donor. There is not enough scientific data available to quantify the risks involved for such donation. The definition of marginal living donor is still not clear and there are no uniform recommendations. The decision must be tailored to each donor who in turn should be actively involved at all levels of the decision-making process. In the current circumstances, our responsibility is very crucial in making decisions for either accepting or rejecting a marginal living donor. PMID:19718332

  17. KSC CENTER DIRECTOR ACCEPTS PLAQUE FOR RECORD-SETTING BONE MARROW DONOR REGISTRATION DRIVE

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1996-01-01

    Kennedy Space Center's Bone Marrow Donor Registration Drive Chairman Dr. George A. Martin and Center Director Jay Honeycutt (left to right) accept a plaque from the Leukemia Society of America's Associate Executive Director Martin Bernstine and the American Red Cross' Southeast Regional Director Jeff Koenreich. Representatives from the American Red Cross and the Leukemia Society of America came to KSC to honor those involved in the record-setting Bone Marrow Donor Registration Drive held here earlier this year. Over 900 potential donors were added to the National Bone Marrow Registry as a result of the KSC drive. The drive established a new record for the most people registered in a single day for the American Red Cross in the three state region of which Florida is a part.

  18. A Cu-Zn nanoparticle promoter for selective carbon dioxide reduction and its application in visible-light-active Z-scheme systems using water as an electron donor.

    PubMed

    Yin, Ge; Sako, Hiroshi; Gubbala, Ramesh V; Ueda, Shigenori; Yamaguchi, Akira; Abe, Hideki; Miyauchi, Masahiro

    2018-04-17

    Selective carbon dioxide photoreduction to produce formic acid was achieved under visible light irradiation using water molecules as electron donors, similar to natural plants, based on the construction of a Z-scheme light harvesting system modified with a Cu-Zn alloy nanoparticle co-catalyst. The faradaic efficiency of our Z-scheme system for HCOOH generation was over 50% under visible light irradiation.

  19. Safely expanding the donor pool: brain dead donors with history of temporary cardiac arrest.

    PubMed

    Hoyer, Dieter P; Paul, Andreas; Saner, Fuat; Gallinat, Anja; Mathé, Zoltan; Treckmann, Juergen W; Schulze, Maren; Kaiser, Gernot M; Canbay, Ali; Molmenti, Ernesto; Sotiropoulos, Georgios C

    2015-06-01

    Cardiac arrest (CA) in deceased organ donors can potentially be associated with ischaemic organ injury, resulting in allograft dysfunction after liver transplantation (LT). The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of cardiac arrest in liver donors. We evaluated 884 consecutive adult patients undergoing LT at our Institution from September 2003 to December 2011. Uni- and multivariable analyses was performed to identify predictive factors of outcome and survival for organs from donors with (CA donor) and without (no CA donor) a history of cardiac arrest. We identified 77 (8.7%) CA donors. Median resuscitation time was 16.5 (1-150) minutes. Allografts from CA donors had prolonged CIT (p = 0.016), were obtained from younger individuals (p < 0.001), and had higher terminal preprocurement AST and ALT (p < 0.001) than those of no CA donors. 3-month, 1-year and 5-year survival for recipients of CA donor grafts was 79%, 76% and 57% and 72.1%, 65.1% and 53% for no CA donor grafts (log rank p = 0.435). Peak AST after LT was significantly lower in CA donor organs than in no CA donor ones (886U/l vs 1321U/l; p = 0.031). Multivariable analysis identified CIT as a risk factor for both patient and graft survival in CA donors. This analysis represents the largest cohort of liver donors with a history of cardiac arrest. Reasonable selection of these donors constitutes a safe approach to the expansion of the donor pool. Rapid allocation and implantation with diminution of CIT may further improve the outcomes of livers from CA donors. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Design and synthesis of molecular donors for solution-processed high-efficiency organic solar cells.

    PubMed

    Coughlin, Jessica E; Henson, Zachary B; Welch, Gregory C; Bazan, Guillermo C

    2014-01-21

    efficient molecular donors that achieve power conversion efficiencies greater than 7%. The molecules are based on a modular D(1)-A-D(2)-A-D(1) architecture, where A is an asymmetric electron deficient heterocycle, which allowed us to quickly access a library of compounds and develop structure-property-performance relationships. Modifications to the D1 and D2 units enable spectral coverage throughout the entire visible region and control of HOMO energy levels, while adjustments to the pendant alkyl substituents dictate molecular solubility, thermal transition temperatures, and solid-state organizational tendencies. Additionally, we discuss regiochemical considerations that highlight how individual atom placements can significantly influence molecular and subsequently device characteristics. Our results demonstrate the utility of this architecture for generating promising materials to be integrated into organic photovoltaic devices, call attention to areas for improvement, and provide guiding principles to sustain the steady increases necessary to move this technology forward.

  1. Donor Retention in Online Crowdfunding Communities: A Case Study of DonorsChoose.org

    PubMed Central

    Althoff, Tim; Leskovec, Jure

    2016-01-01

    Online crowdfunding platforms like DonorsChoose.org and Kick-starter allow specific projects to get funded by targeted contributions from a large number of people. Critical for the success of crowdfunding communities is recruitment and continued engagement of donors. With donor attrition rates above 70%, a significant challenge for online crowdfunding platforms as well as traditional offline non-profit organizations is the problem of donor retention. We present a large-scale study of millions of donors and donations on DonorsChoose.org, a crowdfunding platform for education projects. Studying an online crowdfunding platform allows for an unprecedented detailed view of how people direct their donations. We explore various factors impacting donor retention which allows us to identify different groups of donors and quantify their propensity to return for subsequent donations. We find that donors are more likely to return if they had a positive interaction with the receiver of the donation. We also show that this includes appropriate and timely recognition of their support as well as detailed communication of their impact. Finally, we discuss how our findings could inform steps to improve donor retention in crowdfunding communities and non-profit organizations. PMID:27077139

  2. Donor Retention in Online Crowdfunding Communities: A Case Study of DonorsChoose.org.

    PubMed

    Althoff, Tim; Leskovec, Jure

    2015-05-01

    Online crowdfunding platforms like DonorsChoose.org and Kick-starter allow specific projects to get funded by targeted contributions from a large number of people. Critical for the success of crowdfunding communities is recruitment and continued engagement of donors. With donor attrition rates above 70%, a significant challenge for online crowdfunding platforms as well as traditional offline non-profit organizations is the problem of donor retention. We present a large-scale study of millions of donors and donations on DonorsChoose.org, a crowdfunding platform for education projects. Studying an online crowdfunding platform allows for an unprecedented detailed view of how people direct their donations. We explore various factors impacting donor retention which allows us to identify different groups of donors and quantify their propensity to return for subsequent donations. We find that donors are more likely to return if they had a positive interaction with the receiver of the donation. We also show that this includes appropriate and timely recognition of their support as well as detailed communication of their impact. Finally, we discuss how our findings could inform steps to improve donor retention in crowdfunding communities and non-profit organizations.

  3. Self-Assembly of Electron Donor-Acceptor-Based Carbazole Derivatives: Novel Fluorescent Organic Nanoprobes for Both One- and Two-Photon Cellular Imaging.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jinfeng; Chen, Wencheng; Kalytchuk, Sergii; Li, King Fai; Chen, Rui; Adachi, Chihaya; Chen, Zhan; Rogach, Andrey L; Zhu, Guangyu; Yu, Peter K N; Zhang, Wenjun; Cheah, Kok Wai; Zhang, Xiaohong; Lee, Chun-Sing

    2016-05-11

    In this study, we report fluorescent organic nanoprobes with intense blue, green, and orange-red emissions prepared by self-assembling three carbazole derivatives into nanorods/nanoparticles. The three compounds consist of two or four electron-donating carbazole groups linked to a central dicyanobenzene electron acceptor. Steric hindrance from the carbazole groups leads to noncoplanar 3D molecular structures favorable to fluorescence in the solid state, while the donor-acceptor structures endow the molecules with good two-photon excited emission properties. The fluorescent organic nanoprobes exhibit good water dispersibility, low cytotoxicity, superior resistance against photodegradation and photobleaching. Both one- and two-photon fluorescent imaging were shown in the A549 cell line. Two-photon fluorescence imaging with the fluorescent probes was demonstrated to be more effective in visualizing and distinguishing cellular details compared to conventional one-photon fluorescence imaging.

  4. Donor Conception and "Passing," or; Why Australian Parents of Donor-Conceived Children Want Donors Who Look Like Them.

    PubMed

    Wong, Karen-Anne

    2017-03-01

    This article explores the processes through which Australian recipients select unknown donors for use in assisted reproductive technologies and speculates on how those processes may affect the future life of the donor-conceived person. I will suggest that trust is an integral part of the exchange between donors, recipients, and gamete agencies in donor conception and heavily informs concepts of relatedness, race, ethnicity, kinship, class, and visibility. The decision to be transparent (or not) about a child's genetic parentage affects recipient parents' choices of donor, about who is allowed to "know" children's genetic backgrounds, and how important it is to be able to "pass" as an unassisted conception. In this way, recipients must trust the process, institutions, and individuals involved in their treatment, as well as place trust in the future they imagine for their child. The current market for donor gametes reproduces normative conceptions of the nuclear family, kinship, and relatedness by facilitating "matching" donors to recipients by phenotype and cultural affinities. Recipient parents who choose not to prioritize "matching," and actively disclose the process of children's conceptions, may embark on a project of queering heteronormative family structures and place great trust in both their own children and changing social attitudes to reduce stigma and generate acceptance for non-traditional families.

  5. A simplified donor risk index for predicting outcome after deceased donor kidney transplantation.

    PubMed

    Watson, Christopher J E; Johnson, Rachel J; Birch, Rhiannon; Collett, Dave; Bradley, J Andrew

    2012-02-15

    We sought to determine the deceased donor factors associated with outcome after kidney transplantation and to develop a clinically applicable Kidney Donor Risk Index. Data from the UK Transplant Registry on 7620 adult recipients of adult deceased donor kidney transplants between 2000 and 2007 inclusive were analyzed. Donor factors potentially influencing transplant outcome were investigated using Cox regression, adjusting for significant recipient and transplant factors. A United Kingdom Kidney Donor Risk Index was derived from the model and validated. Donor age was the most significant factor predicting poor transplant outcome (hazard ratio for 18-39 and 60+ years relative to 40-59 years was 0.78 and 1.49, respectively, P<0.001). A history of donor hypertension was also associated with increased risk (hazard ratio 1.30, P=0.001), and increased donor body weight, longer hospital stay before death, and use of adrenaline were also significantly associated with poorer outcomes up to 3 years posttransplant. Other donor factors including donation after circulatory death, history of cardiothoracic disease, diabetes history, and terminal creatinine were not significant. A donor risk index based on the five significant donor factors was derived and confirmed to be prognostic of outcome in a validation cohort (concordance statistic 0.62). An index developed in the United States by Rao et al., Transplantation 2009; 88: 231-236, included 15 factors and gave a concordance statistic of 0.63 in the UK context, suggesting that our much simpler model has equivalent predictive ability. A Kidney Donor Risk Index based on five donor variables provides a clinically useful tool that may help with organ allocation and informed consent.

  6. Factors influencing donor return.

    PubMed

    Schlumpf, Karen S; Glynn, Simone A; Schreiber, George B; Wright, David J; Randolph Steele, Whitney; Tu, Yongling; Hermansen, Sigurd; Higgins, Martha J; Garratty, George; Murphy, Edward L

    2008-02-01

    To predict future blood donation behavior and improve donor retention, it is important to understand the determinants of donor return. A self-administered questionnaire was completed in 2003 by 7905 current donors. With data mining methods, all factors measured by the survey were ranked as possible predictors of actual return within 12 months. Significant factors were analyzed with logistic regression to determine predictors of intention and of actual return. Younger and minority donors were less likely to return in 12 months. Predictors of donor return were higher prior donation frequency, higher intention to return, a convenient place to donate, and having a good donation experience. Most factors associated with actual donor return were also associated with a high intention to return. Although not significant for actual return, feeling a responsibility to help others, higher empathetic concern, and a feeling that being a blood donor means more than just donating blood were related to high intention to return. Prior donation frequency, intention to return, donation experience, and having a convenient location appear to significantly predict donor return. Clearly, donor behavior is dependent on more than one factor alone. Altruistic behavior, empathy, and social responsibility items did not enter our model to predict actual return. A donor's stated intention to give again is positively related to actual return and, while not a perfect measure, might be a useful proxy when donor return cannot be determined.

  7. Anionic Four Electron Donor-Based Palladacycles as Catalysts for Addition Reactions of Arylboronic Acids with α,β-Unsaturated Ketones, Aldehydes and α-Ketoesters

    PubMed Central

    He, Ping; Lu, Yong; Dong, Cheng-Guo; Hu, Qiao-Sheng

    2008-01-01

    Anionic four electron donor-based palladacycle-catalyzed 1,4-additions of arylboronic acids with α,β-unsaturated ketones and 1,2-additions of arylboronic acids with aldehydes and α-ketoesters are described. Our study demonstrated that palladacycles were highly efficient, practical catalysts for these addition reactions. The work described here not only opened a new paradigm for the application of palladacycles, but may also pave the road for other metalacycles as practically useful catalysts for such addition reactions including asymmetric ones. PMID:17217300

  8. Effects of Alkylthio and Alkoxy Side Chains in Polymer Donor Materials for Organic Solar Cells.

    PubMed

    Cui, Chaohua; Wong, Wai-Yeung

    2016-02-01

    Side chains play a considerable role not only in improving the solubility of polymers for solution-processed device fabrication, but also in affecting the molecular packing, electron affinity and thus the device performance. In particular, electron-donating side chains show unique properties when employed to tune the electronic character of conjugated polymers in many cases. Therefore, rational electron-donating side chain engineering can improve the photovoltaic properties of the resulting polymer donors to some extent. Here, a survey of some representative examples which use electron-donating alkylthio and alkoxy side chains in conjugated organic polymers for polymer solar cell applications will be presented. It is envisioned that an analysis of the effect of such electron-donating side chains in polymer donors would contribute to a better understanding of this kind of side chain behavior in solution-processed conjugated organic polymers for polymer solar cells. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Transport of spin qubits with donor chains under realistic experimental conditions

    DOE PAGES

    Mohiyaddin, Fahd A.; Kalra, Rachpon; Laucht, Arne; ...

    2016-07-25

    The ability to transport quantum information across some distance can facilitate the design and operation of a quantum processor. One-dimensional spin chains provide a compact platform to realize scalable spin transport for a solid-state quantum computer. Here, we model odd-sized donor chains in silicon under a range of experimental nonidealities, including variability of donor position within the chain. We show that the tolerance against donor placement inaccuracies is greatly improved by operating the spin chain in a mode where the electrons are confined at the Si-SiO 2 interface. We then estimate the required time scales and exchange couplings, and themore » level of noise that can be tolerated to achieve high-fidelity transport. As a result, we also propose a protocol to calibrate and initialize the chain, thereby providing a complete guideline for realizing a functional donor chain and utilizing it for spin transport.« less

  10. Family, friends, and faith: how organ donor families heal.

    PubMed

    Stouder, Donald B; Schmid, Adam; Ross, Sharon S; Ross, Larry G; Stocks, Lisa

    2009-12-01

    Understanding how organ donors' families recover from their grief can help organ procurement organizations improve consent rates and increase the number of deceased donor organs available for transplant. To determine what helps the loved ones of deceased organ donors heal from their grief and loss, and to better understand families' needs during the consent process as a way of improving overall consent rates for organ donation. Written survey of all organ and tissue donors' families in the San Diego and Imperial County (California) service area during 2006 and 2007. Responses to the 20-question survey addressing factors that help healing from grief, as well as contextual information about the families' experience at the hospital and the consent process. Most respondents (84%) indicated that family support was the most helpful thing in dealing with their grief, followed by the support of friends (74%) and religious and cultural beliefs (37%). Most (75%) indicated that they agreed to donation so that something positive could result from their loss. Most respondents (93%) felt that they were given enough information to make an informed decision about donation, and 6% indicated that the donation process interfered with funeral or memorial arrangements. More than 95% understood that their loved one had died before they were approached for consent. Consistent with previous studies, 12% said they still had unanswered questions about aspects of donation, and 15% of respondents indicated that the discussion about organ donation added more emotional stress to their overall experience.

  11. [Blood donor hemovigilance: impact for donor and recipient safety].

    PubMed

    Hauser, L; Beyloune, A; Simonet, M; Bierling, P

    2013-05-01

    Since its creation in 1993, hemovigilance has an important place for blood safety. The part concerning donors, as the name suggests, targeted on improvement of donor's safety covers in fact the two points of the transfusion chain with serious adverse events in donor, epidemiologic survey for recipients and post-donation information on the two sides. Organized management and close collaboration between the actors of the transfusion chain are necessary to ensure the effectiveness of the system. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  12. Photoinduced electron transfer between benzyloxy dendrimer phthalocyanine and benzoquinone

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Tiantian; Ma, Dongdong; Pan, Sujuan; Wu, Shijun; Jiang, Yufeng; Zeng, Di; Yang, Hongqin; Peng, Yiru

    2016-10-01

    Photo-induced electron transfer (PET) is an important and fundamental process in natural photosynthesis. To mimic such interesting PET process, a suitable donor and acceptor couple were properly chosen. Dendrimer phthalocyanines and their derivatives have emerged as promising materials for artificial photosynthesis systems. In this paper, the electron transfer between the light harvest dendrimer phthalocyanine (donor) and the 1,4-benzoquinone (acceptor) was studied by UV/Vis and fluorescence spectroscopic methods. It was found that fluorescence of phthalocyanine was quenched by benzoquinone (BQ) via excited state electron transfer, from the phthalocyanine to the BQ upon excitation at 610 nm. The Stern-Volmer constant (KSV) of electron transfer was calculated. Our study suggests that this dendritic phthalocyanine is an effective new electron donor and transmission complex and could be used as a potential artificial photosynthesis system.

  13. Fullerene C{sub 70} as a p-type donor in organic photovoltaic cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhuang, Taojun; Wang, Xiao-Feng, E-mail: charles1976110@hotmail.com, E-mail: zrhong@ucla.edu, E-mail: kid@yz.yamagata-u.ac.jp; Sano, Takeshi

    2014-09-01

    Fullerenes and their derivatives have been widely used as n-type materials in organic transistor and photovoltaic devices. Though it is believed that they shall be ambipolar in nature, there have been few direct experimental proofs for that. In this work, fullerene C{sub 70}, known as an efficient acceptor, has been employed as a p-type electron donor in conjunction with 1,4,5,8,9,11-hexaazatriphenylene hexacarbonitrile as an electron acceptor in planar-heterojunction (PHJ) organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells. High fill factors (FFs) of more than 0.70 were reliably achieved with the C{sub 70} layer even up to 100 nm thick in PHJ cells, suggesting the superior potentialmore » of fullerene C{sub 70} as the p-type donor in comparison to other conventional donor materials. The optimal efficiency of these unconventional PHJ cells was 2.83% with a short-circuit current of 5.33 mA/cm{sup 2}, an open circuit voltage of 0.72 V, and a FF of 0.74. The results in this work unveil the potential of fullerene materials as donors in OPV devices, and provide alternative approaches towards future OPV applications.« less

  14. Quality of life of liver donors following donor hepatectomy.

    PubMed

    Chandran, Biju; Bharathan, Viju Kumar; Shaji Mathew, Johns; Amma, Binoj Sivasankara Pillai Thankamony; Gopalakrishnan, Unnikrishnan; Balakrishnan, Dinesh; Menon, Ramachandran Narayana; Dhar, Puneet; Vayoth, Sudheer Othiyil; Surendran, Sudhindran

    2017-03-01

    Although morbidity following living liver donation is well characterized, there is sparse data regarding health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of donors. HRQOL of 200 consecutive live liver donors from 2011-2014 performed at an Indian center were prospectively collected using the SF-36 version 2, 1 year after surgery. The effect of donor demographics, operative details, post-operative complications (Clavien-Dindo and 50-50 criteria), and recipient mortality on the quality-of-life (QOL) scoring was analyzed. Among 200 donors (female/male=141:59), 77 (38.5%) had complications (14.5%, 16.5%, 4.5%, and 3.5%, Clavien-Dindo grades I-IV, respectively). The physical composite score (PCS) of donors 1 year after surgery was less than ideal (48.75±9.5) while the mental composite score (MCS) was good (53.37±6.16). Recipient death was the only factor that showed a statistically significant correlation with both PCS (p<0.001) and MCS (p=0.05). Age above 50 years (p<0.001), increasing body mass index (BMI) (p=0.026), and hospital stay more than 14 days ( p= 0.042) negatively affected the physical scores while emergency surgery (p<0.001) resulted in lower mental scores. Gender, postoperative complications, type of graft, or fulfillment of 50-50 criteria did not influence HRQOL. On asking the hypothetical question whether the donors would be willing to donate again, 99% reiterated there will be no change in their decision. Recipient death, donation in emergency setting, age above 50, higher BMI, and prolonged hospital stay are factors that lead to impaired HRQOL following live liver donation. Despite this, 99% donors did not repent the decision to donate.

  15. Never Declared Brain Dead Potential Organ Donors-An Additional Source of Donor Organs?

    PubMed

    Webster, Patricia A; Markham, Lori E

    2018-03-01

    Patients never declared brain dead may represent an additional source of donor organs. To determine the number of likely brain dead potential donors who are never declared brain dead and to compare them with brain dead and donation after cardiac death potential organ donors. This study was a retrospective chart review of all catastrophically brain-injured patients referred to a single-organ procurement organization (OPO) over a 4-year period. This study identified 159 likely brain dead potential organ donors, 902 brain dead potential organ donors, and 357 potential donation after circulatory death donors over a 4-year period. None. This study did not predetermine outcome measures before data collection because the study group, likely brain dead potential organ donors, had not previously been described. Likely brain dead potential donors were significantly older than brain dead potential donors ( P < .0001) but were otherwise not different demographically. They were more likely to be a late referral to the OPO ( P < .0001) and less likely to be in the donor registry ( P < .0001). The most commonly identified factors associated with a failure to declare brain death were an unwillingness to continue supportive care by the family, premention of donation, a nontimely imminent death referral, known prior objection to donation, terminal instability, and a lack of cooperation with the OPO.

  16. Influence of kinship on donors' mental burden in living donor liver transplantation.

    PubMed

    Erim, Yesim; Beckmann, Mingo; Kroencke, Sylvia; Sotiropoulos, Georgios C; Paul, Andreas; Senf, Wolfgang; Schulz, Karl-Heinz

    2012-08-01

    In the context of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), German transplantation law stipulates that donor candidates should primarily be relatives of the recipients or persons with distinct and close relationships. In this study, we investigated the influence of the relationship between the donor and the recipient on the donor's emotional strain before transplantation. Donors were categorized according to the following subgroups: (1) parents donating for their children, (2) children donating for their parents, (3) siblings, (4) spouses, (5) other relatives, and (6) nonrelatives. The sample consisted of 168 donor candidates. Anxiety (F = 2.8, P = 0.02), depression (F = 2.6, P = 0.03), and emotional quality of life (F = 3.1, P = 0.01) differed significantly according to the relationship between the donor and the recipient. In comparison with healthy controls, parents donating for their children were significantly less stressed before LDLT and demonstrated fewer anxiety (P < 0.01) and depression symptoms (P < 0.05). Adult children donating for their parents demonstrated the highest mental burden and the lowest emotional quality of life. However, this was not due to the responsibility of these children for their own families because differences between donors with children and donors without children could not be ascertained. This group should be given special attention before LDLT and during follow-up visits, and psychological help should be provided when it is necessary. Copyright © 2012 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

  17. Distribution of potential eye and tissue donors within an Australian teaching hospital.

    PubMed

    Dutch, Martin J; Denahy, Anthony F

    2017-12-11

    Eye and Tissue donation has the capacity to transform lives, yet the vast majority of potential in-hospital donors are not recognised. Studies which describe the relative importance of specific units or wards in determining the size of the donor pool are limited. The aim of this study was to map the distribution of potential Eye and Tissue donors within the study hospital. A 12-month retrospective analysis of all patient deaths at the study hospital was undertaken. The ability to donate corneal, heart valve, bone and skin tissue was investigated. Patients were classified as potential donors if they met specific age criteria and had an absence of contraindications based on electronic database search. There were 985 deaths during the study period. Deaths occurred under the care of 26 separate clinical units, and within 28 unique wards and treatment spaces. Four hundred and forty nine (45.6%) patients were identified as potential eye or tissue donors. The majority of potential donors occurred in ICU, Emergency and palliative care units. Of the subset of 328 deaths ≤ 70 years, the frequency of potential tissue donors was 55% (n = 181). ED and ICU had significantly higher frequencies of potential donor than other wards (86 and 77%, p < 0.01). The current study has identified the ED, ICU and PCUs are being important sites for potential Eye and Tissue Donors within our hospital. These will provide an important focus for future interventions to improve the rate of eye and tissue donation.

  18. No-carrier-added (NCA) aryl ([sup 18]F) fluorides via the nucleophilic aromatic substitution of electron rich aromatic rings

    DOEpatents

    Yushin Ding; Fowler, J.S.; Wolf, A.P.

    1993-10-19

    A method for synthesizing no-carrier-added (NCA) aryl [.sup.18 F] fluoride substituted aromatic aldehyde compositions bearing an electron donating group is described. The method of the present invention includes the step of reacting aromatic nitro aldehydes having a suitably protected hydroxyl substitutent on an electron rich ring. The reaction is The U.S. Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract Number DE-AC02-76CH00016, between the U.S. Department of Energy and Associated Universities Inc.

  19. Socioeconomic status and ethnicity of deceased donor kidney recipients compared to their donors.

    PubMed

    Adler, J T; Hyder, J A; Elias, N; Nguyen, L L; Markmann, J F; Delmonico, F L; Yeh, H

    2015-04-01

    Public perception and misperceptions of socioeconomic disparities affect the willingness to donate organs. To improve our understanding of the flow of deceased donor kidneys, we analyzed socioeconomic status (SES) and racial/ethnic gradients between donors and recipients. In a retrospective cohort study, traditional demographic and socioeconomic factors, as well as an SES index, were compared in 56,697 deceased kidney donor and recipient pairs transplanted between 2007 and 2012. Kidneys were more likely to be transplanted in recipients of the same racial/ethnic group as the donor (p < 0.001). Kidneys tended to go to recipients of lower SES index (50.5% of the time, p < 0.001), a relationship that remained after adjusting for other available markers of donor organ quality and SES (p < 0.001). Deceased donor kidneys do not appear to be transplanted from donors of lower SES to recipients of higher SES; this information may be useful in counseling potential donors and their families regarding the distribution of their organ gifts. © Copyright 2015 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  20. Magnetic field enhanced electroluminescence in organic light emitting diodes based on electron donor-acceptor exciplex blends

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baniya, Sangita; Basel, Tek; Sun, Dali; McLaughlin, Ryan; Vardeny, Zeev Valy

    2016-03-01

    A useful process for light harvesting from injected electron-hole pairs in organic light emitting diodes (OLED) is the transfer from triplet excitons (T) to singlet excitons (S) via reverse intersystem crossing (RISC). This process adds a delayed electro-luminescence (EL) emission component that is known as thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF). We have studied electron donor (D)/acceptor(A) blends that form an exciplex manifold in which the energy difference, ΔEST between the lowest singlet (S1) and triplet (T1) levels is relatively small (<100 meV), and thus allows RISC at ambient temperature. We found that the EL emission in OLED based on the exciplex blend is enhanced up to 40% by applying a relatively weak magnetic field of 50 mT at ambient. Moreover the MEL response is activated with activation energy similar that of the EL emission. This suggests that the large magneto-EL originates from an additional spin-mixing channel between singlet and triplet states of the generated exciplexes, which is due to TADF. We will report on the MEL dependencies on the temperature, bias voltage, and D-A materials for optimum OLED performance. Supported by SAMSUNG Global Research Outreach (GRO) program, and also by the NSF-Material Science & Engineering Center (MRSEC) program at the University of Utah (DMR-1121252).

  1. Electronic and optical properties of novel carbazole-based donor-acceptor compounds for applications in blue-emitting organic light-emitting diodes

    DOE PAGES

    Legaspi, Christian M.; Stubbs, Regan E.; Yaron, David J.; ...

    2015-08-20

    We report that organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have received a significant attention over the past decade due to their energy-saving potential. We have recently synthesized two novel carbazole-based donor-acceptor compounds and analyzed their optical properties to determine their suitability for use as blue emitters in OLEDs. These compounds show remarkable photo-stability and high quantum yields in the blue region of the spectrum. In addition, they have highly solvatochromic emission. In non-polar solvents, bright, blue-shifted (λmax ≈ 398 nm), and highly structured emission is seen. With increasing solvent dielectric constant, the emission becomes weaker, red-shifted (λmax ≈ 507 nm), and broad.more » We aim to determine the underlying cause of these changes. Electronic structure calculations indicate the presence of multiple excited states with comparable oscillator strength. These states are of interest because there are several with charge-transfer (CT) character, and others centered on the donor moiety. We theorize that CT states play a role in the observed changes in emission lineshape and may promote charge mobility for electrofluorescence in OLEDs. In the future, we plan to use Stark spectroscopy to analyze the polarity of excited states and transient absorption spectroscopy to observe the dynamics in the excited state.« less

  2. Electronic and optical properties of novel carbazole-based donor-acceptor compounds for applications in blue-emitting organic light-emitting diodes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Legaspi, Christian M.; Stubbs, Regan E.; Yaron, David J.

    We report that organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have received a significant attention over the past decade due to their energy-saving potential. We have recently synthesized two novel carbazole-based donor-acceptor compounds and analyzed their optical properties to determine their suitability for use as blue emitters in OLEDs. These compounds show remarkable photo-stability and high quantum yields in the blue region of the spectrum. In addition, they have highly solvatochromic emission. In non-polar solvents, bright, blue-shifted (λmax ≈ 398 nm), and highly structured emission is seen. With increasing solvent dielectric constant, the emission becomes weaker, red-shifted (λmax ≈ 507 nm), and broad.more » We aim to determine the underlying cause of these changes. Electronic structure calculations indicate the presence of multiple excited states with comparable oscillator strength. These states are of interest because there are several with charge-transfer (CT) character, and others centered on the donor moiety. We theorize that CT states play a role in the observed changes in emission lineshape and may promote charge mobility for electrofluorescence in OLEDs. In the future, we plan to use Stark spectroscopy to analyze the polarity of excited states and transient absorption spectroscopy to observe the dynamics in the excited state.« less

  3. Gettering of donor impurities by V in GaAs and the growth of semi-insulating crystals

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ko, K. Y.; Lagowski, J.; Gatos, H. C.

    1989-01-01

    Vanadium added to the GaAs melt getters shallow donor impurities (Si and S) and decreases their concentration in the grown crystals. This gettering is driven by chemical reactions in the melt rather than in the solid. Employing V gettering, reproducibly semi-insulating GaAs were grown by horizontal Bridgman and liquid-encapsulated Czochralski techniques, although V did not introduce any midgap energy levels. The compensation mechanism in these crystals was controlled by the balance between the native midgap donor EL2 and residual shallow acceptors. Vanadium gettering contributed to the reduction of the concentration of shallow donors below the concentration of acceptors. The present findings clarify the long-standing controversy on the role of V in achieving semi-insulating GaAs.

  4. ADS pilot program Plan

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Clauson, J.; Heuser, J.

    1981-01-01

    The Applications Data Service (ADS) is a system based on an electronic data communications network which will permit scientists to share the data stored in data bases at universities and at government and private installations. It is designed to allow users to readily locate and access high quality, timely data from multiple sources. The ADS Pilot program objectives and the current plans for accomplishing those objectives are described.

  5. [Search for non-relative donor by the Russian register of bone marrow donors].

    PubMed

    Zaretskaia, Iu M; Khamaganova, E G; Aleshchenko, S M; Murashova, L A

    2002-01-01

    To select maximally HLA compatible donor for hematological patients who need transplantation of bone marrow from non-relative donor. 75 patients with hematological malignancy were observed. All of them have indications to non-relative transplantation of the bone marrow. Methods of polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers and classic microlymphocytotoxic test were used. Typing of HLA antigens of class I and alleles of class II loci enabled search for non-relative donor for transplantation of bone marrow in accordance with the requirements of the European Federation of Immunogenetics. Most of the patients (86.6%) had at least one potential HLA-A, -B, -DR compatible donor. Half of the patients had potential donors typed at the allele level by class II loci. This diminishes time of HLA compatible donor selection. DNA typing enables the search for the non-relative donors meeting modern requirements. This allowed 5 non-relative bone marrow transplantations.

  6. Correlation between donor age and organs transplanted per donor: our experience in Japan.

    PubMed

    Ashikari, J; Omiya, K; Konaka, S; Nomoto, K

    2014-05-01

    The shortage of available organs for transplantation is a worldwide issue. To maximize the number of transplantations, increasing the number of organs transplanted per donor (OTPD) is widely recognized as an important factor for improving the shortage. In Japan, we have had 211 donors, 1112 organs transplanted, and 924 recipients receiving the transplants, resulting in 4.4 ± 1.4 recipients receiving transplants per donor and 5.3 ± 1.6 OTPD as of February 2013. Because donor age is a well-recognized factor of donor suitability, we analyzed the correlation between donor age group and OTPD. Only the age group 60 to 69 years and the age group 70 to 79 years were significantly different (P < .05) from adjacent age groups. We estimate that a donor under age 70 years has the potential to donate 4.6 to 6.7 organs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. The impact of disclosure on donor gamete participants: donors, intended parents and offspring.

    PubMed

    Greenfeld, Dorothy A

    2008-06-01

    The present review examines recent publications that provide insight into how the trend toward nonanonymity and disclosure in gamete donation impacts donors, intended parents, and their donor-conceived children. Recent findings show an increase in donor programs that offer open-identity between donors and offspring. The psychological needs of gamete donors and their attitudes toward disclosure are increasingly given consideration. Qualitative research on how parents of donor gamete offspring make decisions about disclosure reveals that even when couples initially disagree about disclosing to offspring, most ultimately come to a united disclosure decision. The literature on the impact of disclosure on donor gamete offspring has extended to include children conceived through embryo donation and children born as a result of surrogacy. The absence of genetic or gestational link between parents and their child does not have a negative impact on parent-child relationships. Parents through surrogacy tend to disclose the method of family creation to their child, whereas parents through embryo donation tend to be secretive about their child's origins. The trend toward greater openness in gamete donation has been accompanied by an increase in programs offering open-identity donation. In addition, the psychological needs of gamete donors and their attitudes toward disclosure are increasingly being given consideration. Parents of donor gamete offspring give careful thought to their disclosure decisions, and the psychological well being of donor-conceived children does not seem to be impacted by those decisions.

  8. Differences in social representation of blood donation between donors and non-donors: an empirical study.

    PubMed

    Guarnaccia, Cinzia; Giannone, Francesca; Falgares, Giorgio; Caligaris, Aldo Ozino; Sales-Wuillemin, Edith

    2015-11-04

    Both donors and non-donors have a positive image of blood donation, so donors and non-donors do not differ regarding their views on donation but do differ in converting their opinion into an active deed of donation. Several studies have identified altruism and empathy as the main factors underlying blood donation. However, a mixture of various motivational factors mould the complex behaviour of donation. This paper presents an exploratory study on differences of social representations of blood donation between blood donors and non-donors, in order to understand the reasons that bring someone to take the decision to become a blood donor. Participants filled in the Adapted Self-Report Altruism Scale, Toronto Empathy Questionnaire and answered a test of verbal association. Descriptive and correlation analyses were carried out on quantitative data, while a prototypic analysis was used for qualitative data. The study was carried out on a convenience sample of 786 individuals, 583 donors (mean age: 35.40 years, SD: 13.01 years; 39.3% female) and 203 non-donors (mean age: 35.10 years, SD: 13.30 years; 67.5% female). Social representations of donors seem to be more complex and articulated than those of non-donors. The terms that appear to be central were more specific in donors (life, needle, blood, help, altruism were the words most associated by non-donors; life, aid, altruism, solidarity, health, love, gift, generosity, voluntary, control, needed, useful, needle were the words most associated by donors). Furthermore, non-donors associated a larger number of terms referring to negative aspects of blood donation. Aspects related to training and the accuracy of any information on blood donation seem to be important in the decision to become a donor and stabilise the behaviour of donation over time, thus ensuring the highest levels of quality and safety in blood establishments.

  9. [Five years of Fiom KID-DNA Databank: experiences in matching sperm donors and donor-conceived offspring].

    PubMed

    Postema, D; Maas, A J B M

    2016-01-01

    Before the introduction of the Dutch Human Fertilisation (Donor Information) Act (in Dutch: Wet Donorgegevens Kunstmatige Bevruchting) in 2004, approximately 40,000 donor-conceived offspring were born in the Netherlands. The majority is conceived by means of artificial insemination with anonymous donor sperm (in Dutch: kunstmatige inseminatie met anoniem donorzaad - KID). This means that they have little or no access to information about their genetic origins. Through the Fiom KID-DNA Databank, established in 2010 in association with the Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, it is possible for these donor-conceived offspring and donors to search for one another. DNA profiles are used to match donor-conceived offspring, donors and half-siblings. It is expected that the number of donor-related searches will increase. The experiences with matching and counselling of donor-conceived offspring and donors presented in this paper will help donor-conceived offspring and donors who start a search in the future. Moreover, they provide guidance for forming a meaningful relationship between those involved.

  10. Pure laparoscopic living donor hepatectomy: Focus on 55 donors undergoing right hepatectomy.

    PubMed

    Suh, K S; Hong, S K; Lee, K W; Yi, N J; Kim, H S; Ahn, S W; Yoon, K C; Choi, J Y; Oh, D; Kim, H

    2018-02-01

    Although laparoscopic donor hepatectomy is increasingly common, few centers with substantial experience have reported the results of pure laparoscopic donor right hepatectomy (PLDRH). Here, we report the experiences of 60 consecutive liver donors undergoing pure laparoscopic donor hepatectomy (PLDH), with most undergoing right hepatectomy. None of the 60 donors who underwent PLDH had intraoperative complications and none required transfusions, reoperation, or conversion to open hepatectomy. Forty-five donors who underwent PLDRH between November 2015 and December 2016 were compared with 42 who underwent conventional donor right hepatectomy (CDRH) between May 2013 and February 2014. The total operation time was longer (330.7 vs 280.0 minutes; P < .001) and the percentage with multiple bile duct openings was higher (53.3% vs 26.2%; P = .010) in the PLDRH group. However, the length of postoperative hospital stay (8.4 vs 8.2 days; P = .495) and rate of complications (11.9% vs 8.9%; P = .733) and re-hospitalizations (4.8% vs 4.4%; P = 1.000) were similar in both groups. PLDH, including PLDRH, is feasible when performed by a highly experienced surgeon and transplant team. Further evaluation, including long-term results, may support these preliminary findings of comparative outcomes for donors undergoing PLDRH and CDRH. © 2017 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  11. Identification of the 2-hydroxyglutarate and isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenases as alternative electron donors linking lysine catabolism to the electron transport chain of Arabidopsis mitochondria.

    PubMed

    Araújo, Wagner L; Ishizaki, Kimitsune; Nunes-Nesi, Adriano; Larson, Tony R; Tohge, Takayuki; Krahnert, Ina; Witt, Sandra; Obata, Toshihiro; Schauer, Nicolas; Graham, Ian A; Leaver, Christopher J; Fernie, Alisdair R

    2010-05-01

    The process of dark-induced senescence in plants is relatively poorly understood, but a functional electron-transfer flavoprotein/electron-transfer flavoprotein:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (ETF/ETFQO) complex, which supports respiration during carbon starvation, has recently been identified. Here, we studied the responses of Arabidopsis thaliana mutants deficient in the expression of isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase and 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase to extended darkness and other environmental stresses. Evaluations of the mutant phenotypes following carbon starvation induced by extended darkness identify similarities to those exhibited by mutants of the ETF/ETFQO complex. Metabolic profiling and isotope tracer experimentation revealed that isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase is involved in degradation of the branched-chain amino acids, phytol, and Lys, while 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase is involved exclusively in Lys degradation. These results suggest that isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase is the more critical for alternative respiration and that a series of enzymes, including 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase, plays a role in Lys degradation. Both physiological and metabolic phenotypes of the isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase and 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase mutants were not as severe as those observed for mutants of the ETF/ETFQO complex, indicating some functional redundancy of the enzymes within the process. Our results aid in the elucidation of the pathway of plant Lys catabolism and demonstrate that both isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase and 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase act as electron donors to the ubiquinol pool via an ETF/ETFQO-mediated route.

  12. Characteristics and clinical outcomes of living renal donors in Hong Kong.

    PubMed

    Hong, Y L; Yee, C H; Leung, C B; Teoh, J Yc; Kwan, B Ch; Li, P Kt; Hou, S Sm; Ng, C F

    2018-02-01

    In Asia, few reports are available on the outcomes for living renal donors. We report the short- and long-term clinical outcomes of individuals following living donor nephrectomy in Hong Kong. We retrospectively reviewed the characteristics and clinical outcomes of all living renal donors who underwent surgery from January 1990 to December 2015 at a teaching hospital in Hong Kong. Information was obtained from hospital records and territory-wide electronic patient records. During the study period, 83 individuals underwent donor nephrectomy. The mean (± standard deviation) follow-up time was 12.0 ± 8.3 years, and the mean age at nephrectomy was 37.3 ± 10.0 years. A total of 44 (53.0%), four (4.8%), and 35 (42.2%) donors underwent living donor nephrectomy via an open, hand-port assisted laparoscopic, and laparoscopic approach, respectively. The overall incidence of complications was 36.6%, with most being grade 1 or 2. There were three (9.4%) grade 3a complications; all were related to open donor nephrectomy. The mean glomerular filtration rate was 96.0 ± 17.5 mL/min/1.73 m 2 at baseline and significantly lower at 66.8 ± 13.5 mL/min/1.73 m 2 at first annual follow-up (P<0.01). The latest mean glomerular filtration rate was 75.6% ± 15.1% of baseline. No donor died or developed renal failure. Of the donors, 14 (18.2%) developed hypertension, two (2.6%) had diabetes mellitus, and three (4.0%) had experienced proteinuria. The overall perioperative outcomes are good, with very few serious complications. The introduction of a laparoscopic approach has decreased perioperative blood loss and also shortened hospital stay. Long-term kidney function is satisfactory and no patients developed end-stage renal disease. The incidences of new-onset medical diseases and pregnancy-related complications were also low.

  13. High Removal of Effluent-borne Nitrogen with Multiple External Electron Donors in the Engineered Drainfield of an Advanced Septic System.

    PubMed

    De, Mriganka; Toor, Gurpal S

    2016-11-01

    Septic systems can be a major source of nitrogen (N) in shallow groundwater. We designed an in situ engineered drainfield with aerobic-anaerobic (sand-woodchips) and anaerobic (elemental sulfur-oyster shell) media to remove N in the vadose zone and reduce N transport to groundwater. Effluent was dispersed on top of the engineered drainfield (3.72 m infiltrative surface) and then infiltrated through the aerobic-anaerobic and anaerobic media before reaching natural soil. Water samples were collected over 64 sampling events (May 2012-December 2013) from three parts of the drainfield: (i) a suction cup lysimeter installed at the sand-woodchips interface, (ii) a pipe after effluent passed through the aerobic-anaerobic media, and (iii) a tank containing anaerobic media. In the effluent, most of the total N (66 mg L) was present as NH-N (88.8%), whereas at the sand-woodchips interface the dominant N form was NO-N (31 mg L; 85% of total N). As the effluent passed through the aerobic-anaerobic media in the drainfield, heterotrophic denitrification reduced NO-N to 5.4 mg L. In the tank containing anaerobic media, autotrophic denitrification, facilitated by elemental sulfur, further reduced NO-N to 1 mg L. Overall, 90% of total added N was removed as the effluent passed through the aerobic-anaerobic and anaerobic media within the engineered drainfield. We conclude that the use of multiple electron donors from external media (sand-woodchips and elemental sulfur-oyster shell) was effective at removing N in the engineered drainfield and will reduce the risk of groundwater N contamination from septic systems in areas with shallow groundwater. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

  14. The effect of whole-blood donor adverse events on blood donor return rates.

    PubMed

    Newman, Bruce H; Newman, Daniel T; Ahmad, Raffat; Roth, Arthur J

    2006-08-01

    Some blood donation-related adverse events (AEs) can negatively impact the blood donor return rate (BDRR) and decrease donor retention. One-thousand randomly selected whole-blood donors were interviewed 3 weeks after a 525-mL index whole-blood donation for seven AEs. The number of return visits and duration of follow-up were recorded for each of the 1000 donors. A negative binomial regression analysis was used to determine the contribution of the four most common AEs to the BDRR, and interactions between these AEs were also evaluated. The four most common AEs were bruise alone (15.1%), sore arm "alone" (7.0%), fatigue "alone" (5.1%), and donor reaction "alone" (4.2%), where "alone" is defined to also include donors who had a bruise but no other AE. The estimated BDRR for donations without AEs was 1.32 visits per year. The estimated BDRRs for the four most common AEs were: bruise alone, 1.32 visits per year; sore arm alone, 1.30 visits per year (2% reduction in BDRR); fatigue alone, 1.06 visits per year (20% reduction in BDRR); and donor reaction alone, 0.87 visits per year (34% reduction in BDRR). The BDRR for donor reaction, fatigue, and sore arm together was 0.20 visits per year (85% reduction in BDRR). Donor reaction had the most negative impact on the BDRR. There appears to be a synergistic effect between donor reaction, fatigue, and sore arm. Theoretically, amelioration of some AEs has the potential to improve BDRRs.

  15. Selecting the best haploidentical donor.

    PubMed

    McCurdy, Shannon R; Fuchs, Ephraim J

    2016-10-01

    The substantial evidence of the safety of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-haploidentical (haplo) blood or marrow transplantation (BMT) has led to its increasing utilization. When prioritizing HLA-matched grafts, patients frequently have few or no donors from whom to choose. However, a given patient may have multiple suitable haplo donors. Therefore factors other than HLA-match become critical for selecting the best donor. We recommend a donor selection algorithm based on the donor-specific antibodies, ABO match, donor age, donor sex, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) serostatus match. Despite provocative initial evidence, further studies are warranted to determine whether there is any benefit to selecting a haplo donor based on the number of HLA-mismatches, natural killer cell alloreactivity, or the presence of non-inherited maternal HLA antigens. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Rapid onset of squamous cell carcinoma in a thin skin graft donor site.

    PubMed

    Herard, C; Arnaud, D; Goga, D; Rousseau, P; Potier, B

    2016-01-01

    Squamous cell carcinomas are malignant tumours of epithelial origin that can appear on sites subjected to chronic inflammation after a period of several years. The rapid development of squamous cell carcinoma at the donor site for a thin skin graft is a rare and poorly understood situation. We report the case of a patient undergoing thin skin grafting to cover the area of removal of a vertex squamous cell carcinoma and in whom squamous cell carcinoma appeared at the donor site within 9 weeks. In our case, we ruled out intraoperative contamination because two sets of surgical instruments were used. Given the number of cases reported in the literature, a chance event seems unlikely. The hypothesis of an acute inflammatory process caused by scarring of the thin skin graft site appears to us the most convincing. Development of cancer at the graft donor site may thus be added to the list of complications of thin skin grafting. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  17. Theoretical characterization of photoinduced electron transfer in rigidly linked donor-acceptor molecules: the fragment charge difference and the generalized Mulliken-Hush schemes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Sheng-Jui; Chen, Hung-Cheng; You, Zhi-Qiang; Liu, Kuan-Lin; Chow, Tahsin J.; Chen, I.-Chia; Hsu, Chao-Ping

    2010-10-01

    We calculate the electron transfer (ET) rates for a series of heptacyclo[6.6.0.02,6.03,13.014,11.05,9.010,14]-tetradecane (HCTD) linked donor-acceptor molecules. The electronic coupling factor was calculated by the fragment charge difference (FCD) [19] and the generalized Mulliken-Hush (GMH) schemes [20]. We found that the FCD is less prone to problems commonly seen in the GMH scheme, especially when the coupling values are small. For a 3-state case where the charge transfer (CT) state is coupled with two different locally excited (LE) states, we tested with the 3-state approach for the GMH scheme [30], and found that it works well with the FCD scheme. A simplified direct diagonalization based on Rust's 3-state scheme was also proposed and tested. This simplified scheme does not require a manual assignment of the states, and it yields coupling values that are largely similar to those from the full Rust's approach. The overall electron transfer (ET) coupling rates were also calculated.

  18. Hot topics in liver transplantation: organ allocation--extended criteria donor--living donor liver transplantation.

    PubMed

    Müllhaupt, Beat; Dimitroulis, Dimitrios; Gerlach, J Tilman; Clavien, Pierre-Alain

    2008-01-01

    Liver transplantation has become the mainstay for the treatment of end-stage liver disease, hepatocellular cancer and some metabolic disorders. Its main drawback, though, is the disparity between the number of donors and the patients needing a liver graft. In this review we will discuss the recent changes regarding organ allocation, extended donor criteria, living donor liver transplantation and potential room for improvement. The gap between the number of donors and patients needing a liver graft forced the transplant community to introduce an objective model such as the modified model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) in order to obtain a transparent and fair organ allocation system. The use of extended criteria donor livers such as organs from older donors or steatotic grafts is one possibility to reduce the gap between patients on the waiting list and available donors. Finally, living donor liver transplantation has become a standard procedure in specialized centers as another possibility to reduce the donor shortage. Recent data clearly indicate that center experience is of major importance in achieving good results. Great progress has been made in recent years. However, further research is needed to improve results in the future.

  19. Lung donor treatment protocol in brain dead-donors: A multicenter study.

    PubMed

    Miñambres, Eduardo; Pérez-Villares, Jose Miguel; Chico-Fernández, Mario; Zabalegui, Arturo; Dueñas-Jurado, Jose María; Misis, Maite; Mosteiro, Fernando; Rodriguez-Caravaca, Gil; Coll, Elisabeth

    2015-06-01

    The shortage of lung donors for transplantation is the main limitation among patients awaiting this type of surgery. We previously demonstrated that an intensive lung donor-treatment protocol succeeded in increasing the lung procurement rate. We aimed to validate our protocol for centers with or without lung transplant programs. A quasi-experimental study was performed to compare lung donor rate before (historical group, 2010 to 2012) and after (prospective group, 2013) the application of a lung management protocol for donors after brain death (DBDs) in six Spanish hospitals. Lung donor selection criteria remained unchanged in both periods. Outcome measures for lung recipients were early survival and primary graft dysfunction (PGD) rates. A total of 618 DBDs were included: 453 in the control period and 165 in the protocol period. Donor baseline characteristics were similar in both periods. Lung donation rate in the prospective group was 27.3%, more than twice that of the historical group (13%; p < 0.001). The number of lungs retrieved, grafts transplanted, and transplants performed more than doubled over the study period. No differences in early recipients' survival between groups were observed (87.6% vs. 84.5%; p = 0.733) nor in the rate of PGD. Implementing our intensive lung donor-treatment protocol increases lung procurement rates. This allows more lung transplants to be performed without detriment to either early survival or PGD rate. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. The interaction among donor characteristics, severity of liver disease, and the cost of liver transplantation.

    PubMed

    Salvalaggio, Paolo R; Dzebisashvili, Nino; MacLeod, Kara E; Lentine, Krista L; Gheorghian, Adrian; Schnitzler, Mark A; Hohmann, Samuel; Segev, Dorry L; Gentry, Sommer E; Axelrod, David A

    2011-03-01

    Accurate assessment of the impact of donor quality on liver transplant (LT) costs has been limited by the lack of a large, multicenter study of detailed clinical and economic data. A novel, retrospective database linking information from the University HealthSystem Consortium and the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network registry was analyzed using multivariate regression to determine the relationship between donor quality (assessed through the Donor Risk Index [DRI]), recipient illness severity, and total inpatient costs (transplant and all readmissions) for 1 year following LT. Cost data were available for 9059 LT recipients. Increasing MELD score, higher DRI, simultaneous liver-kidney transplant, female sex, and prior liver transplant were associated with increasing cost of LT (P < 0.05). MELD and DRI interact to synergistically increase the cost of LT (P < 0.05). Donors in the highest DRI quartile added close to $12,000 to the cost of transplantation and nearly $22,000 to posttransplant costs in comparison to the lowest risk donors. Among the individual components of the DRI, donation after cardiac death (increased costs by $20,769 versus brain dead donors) had the greatest impact on transplant costs. Overall, 1-year costs were increased in older donors, minority donors, nationally shared organs, and those with cold ischemic times of 7-13 hours (P < 0.05 for all). In conclusion, donor quality, as measured by the DRI, is an independent predictor of LT costs in the perioperative and postoperative periods. Centers in highly competitive regions that perform transplantation on higher MELD patients with high DRI livers may be particularly affected by the synergistic impact of these factors. Copyright © 2011 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

  1. The influence of the donor-recipient relationship on related donor reactions to stem cell donation.

    PubMed

    Labott, S; Pfammatter, A

    2014-06-01

    Previous research has begun to delineate the complicated reactions experienced by bone marrow and stem cell donors. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of the donor-recipient relationship on the related donor's emotional reactions. Twenty-eight adult stem cell donors completed questionnaires before donation, 30 days post stem cell infusion, and 1 year after infusion. Questionnaires addressed the donor-recipient relationship, depression, mood, guilt and responsibility, self-esteem, ambivalence about donation and reactions to the donation itself. Results indicated that most donors reported little ambivalence about donation, and their reactions to the donation itself were generally positive. Closer and more positive donor-recipient relationships were associated with less anticipated guilt and responsibility if the transplant did not work. The relationships between the donor and the recipient did not change over time. Mood disturbance and depression were low overall, not related to the donor-recipient relationship, and did not significantly change over time. These results indicate that related stem cell donors are generally without significant emotional distress, and are comfortable with the donation process. Further, a more positive relationship with the recipient may help donors to avoid feeling guilty and responsible if the transplant does not work.

  2. Enhanced Efficiency in Fullerene-Free Polymer Solar Cell by Incorporating Fine-designed Donor and Acceptor Materials.

    PubMed

    Ye, Long; Sun, Kai; Jiang, Wei; Zhang, Shaoqing; Zhao, Wenchao; Yao, Huifeng; Wang, Zhaohui; Hou, Jianhui

    2015-05-06

    Among the diverse nonfullerene acceptors, perylene bisimides (PBIs) have been attracting much attention due to their excellent electron mobility and tunable molecular and electronic properties by simply engineering the bay and head linkages. Herein, guided by two efficient small molecular acceptors, we designed, synthesized, and characterized a new nonfullerene small molecule PPDI with fine-tailored alkyl chains. Notably, a certificated PCE of 5.40% is realized in a simple structured fullerene-free polymer solar cell comprising PPDI as the electron acceptor and a fine-tailored 2D-conjugated polymer PBDT-TS1 as the electron donor. Moreover, the device behavior, morphological feature, and origin of high efficiency in PBDT-TS1/PPDI-based fullerene-free PSC were investigated. The synchronous selection and design of donor and acceptor materials reported here offer a feasible strategy for realizing highly efficient fullerene-free organic photovoltaics.

  3. Achieving donor management goals before deceased donor procurement is associated with more organs transplanted per donor.

    PubMed

    Malinoski, Darren J; Daly, Michael C; Patel, Madhukar S; Oley-Graybill, Chrystal; Foster, Clarence E; Salim, Ali

    2011-10-01

    There is a national shortage of organs available for transplantation. Implementation of preset donor management goals (DMGs) to improve outcomes is recommended, but uniform practices and data are lacking. We hypothesized that meeting DMGs before organ procurement would result in more organs transplanted per donor (OTPD). The eight organ procurement organization in United Network for Organ Sharing Region 5 selected 10 critical care end points as DMGs. Each organ procurement organization submitted retrospective data from 40 standard criteria donors. "DMGs met" was defined as achieving any eight DMGs before procurement. The primary outcome was ≥4 OTPD. Binary logistic regression was used to determine independent predictors of ≥4 OTPD with a p<0.05. Three hundred twenty standard criteria donors had 3.6±1.6 OTPD. Donors with DMGs met had more OTPD (4.4 vs. 3.3, p<0.001) and were more likely to have ≥4 OTPD (70% vs. 39%, p<0.001). Independent predictors of ≥4 OTPD were age (odds ratio [OR]=0.94), serum creatinine (OR=0.65), thyroid hormone use (OR=2.0), "DMGs met" (OR=4.4), and achieving the following individual DMGs: central venous pressure 4 mm Hg to 10 mm Hg (OR=1.9), ejection fraction>50% (OR=4.0), Pao2:FIO2>300 (OR=4.6), and serum sodium 135 to 160 mEq/L (OR=3.4). Meeting DMGs before procurement resulted in more OTPD. Donor factors and critical care end points are independent predictors of organ yield. Prospective studies are needed to determine the true impact of each DMG on the number and function of transplanted organs.

  4. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Recipient Epidemiology and Donor Evaluation Study (REDS-III): A research program striving to improve blood donor and transfusion recipient outcomes

    PubMed Central

    Kleinman, Steven; Busch, Michael P; Murphy, Edward L; Shan, Hua; Ness, Paul; Glynn, Simone A.

    2014-01-01

    Background The Recipient Epidemiology and Donor Evaluation Study -III (REDS-III) is a 7-year multicenter transfusion safety research initiative launched in 2011 by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Study design The domestic component involves 4 blood centers, 12 hospitals, a data coordinating center, and a central laboratory. The international component consists of distinct programs in Brazil, China, and South Africa which involve US and in-country investigators. Results REDS-III is using two major methods to address key research priorities in blood banking/transfusion medicine. First, there will be numerous analyses of large “core” databases; the international programs have each constructed a donor/donation database while the domestic program has established a detailed research database that links data from blood donors and their donations, the components made from these donations, and data extracts from the electronic medical records of the recipients of these components. Secondly, there are more than 25 focused research protocols involving transfusion recipients, blood donors, or both that are either in progress or scheduled to begin within the next 3 years. Areas of study include transfusion epidemiology and blood utilization; transfusion outcomes; non-infectious transfusion risks; HIV-related safety issues (particularly in the international programs); emerging infectious agents; blood component quality; donor health and safety; and other donor issues. Conclusions It is intended that REDS-III serve as an impetus for more widespread recipient and linked donor-recipient research in the US as well as to help assure a safe and available blood supply in the US and in international locations. PMID:24188564

  5. Polaronic effects on the off-center donor impurity in AlAs/GaAs/SiO2 spherical core/shell quantum dots

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    El Haouari, M.; Feddi, E.; Dujardin, F.; Restrepo, R. L.; Mora-Ramos, M. E.; Duque, C. A.

    2017-11-01

    The ground state of a conduction electron coupled to an off-center impurity donor in a AlAS/GaAs spherical core/shell quantum dot is investigated theoretically. The image-charge effect and the influence of the electron-polar-LO-phonon interaction are considered. The electron-impurity binding energy is calculated via a variational procedure and is reported both as a function of the shell width and of the radial position of the donor atom. The polaronic effects on this quantity are particularly discussed.

  6. Donor Safety in Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A Single-Center Analysis of 300 Cases

    PubMed Central

    Lei, Jianyong; Yan, Lunan; Wang, Wentao

    2013-01-01

    Aim To evaluate the safety to donors of living-donor liver transplantation. Methods This study included 300 consecutive living liver tissue donors who underwent operations at our center from July 2002 to December 2012. We evaluated the safety of donors with regard to three aspects complications were recorded prospectively and stratified by grade according to Clavien’s classification, and the data were compared in two stages (the first 5 years’ experience (pre-January 2008) and the latter 5 years’ experience (post-January 2008); laboratory tests such as liver function and blood biochemistry were performed; and the health-related quality of life was evaluated. Results There was no donor mortality at our center, and the overall morbidity rate was 25.3%. Most of the complications of living donors were either grade I or II. There were significantly fewer complications in the latter period of our study than in the initial period (19.9% vs 32.6%, P<0.001), and biliary complications were the most common complications, with an incidence of 9%. All of the liver dysfunction was temporary; however, the post-operative suppression of platelet count lasted for years. Although within the normal range, eight years after operation, 22 donors showed lower platelet levels (189×109/L) compared with the pre-operative levels (267×109/L) (P<0.05). A total of 98.4% of donors had returned to their previous levels of social activity and work, and 99.2% of donors would donate again if it was required and feasible. With the exception of two donors who experienced grade III complications (whose recipients died) and a few cases of abdominal discomfort, fatigue, chronic pain and scar itching, none of the living donors were affected by physical problems. Conclusion With careful donor selection and specialized patient care, low morbidity rates and satisfactory long-term recovery can be achieved after hepatectomy for living-donor liver transplantation. PMID:23637904

  7. Donor safety in living donor liver transplantation: a single-center analysis of 300 cases.

    PubMed

    Lei, Jianyong; Yan, Lunan; Wang, Wentao

    2013-01-01

    To evaluate the safety to donors of living-donor liver transplantation. This study included 300 consecutive living liver tissue donors who underwent operations at our center from July 2002 to December 2012. We evaluated the safety of donors with regard to three aspects complications were recorded prospectively and stratified by grade according to Clavien's classification, and the data were compared in two stages (the first 5 years' experience (pre-January 2008) and the latter 5 years' experience (post-January 2008); laboratory tests such as liver function and blood biochemistry were performed; and the health-related quality of life was evaluated. There was no donor mortality at our center, and the overall morbidity rate was 25.3%. Most of the complications of living donors were either grade I or II. There were significantly fewer complications in the latter period of our study than in the initial period (19.9% vs 32.6%, P<0.001), and biliary complications were the most common complications, with an incidence of 9%. All of the liver dysfunction was temporary; however, the post-operative suppression of platelet count lasted for years. Although within the normal range, eight years after operation, 22 donors showed lower platelet levels (189 × 10(9)/L) compared with the pre-operative levels (267 × 10(9)/L) (P<0.05). A total of 98.4% of donors had returned to their previous levels of social activity and work, and 99.2% of donors would donate again if it was required and feasible. With the exception of two donors who experienced grade III complications (whose recipients died) and a few cases of abdominal discomfort, fatigue, chronic pain and scar itching, none of the living donors were affected by physical problems. With careful donor selection and specialized patient care, low morbidity rates and satisfactory long-term recovery can be achieved after hepatectomy for living-donor liver transplantation.

  8. Carrier concentration dependence of donor activation energy in n-type GaN epilayers grown on Si (1 1 1) by plasma-assisted MBE

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kumar, Mahesh; Central Research Laboratory, Bharat Electronics, Bangalore 560 013; Bhat, Thirumaleshwara N.

    Highlights: ► The n-type GaN layers were grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. ► The optical characteristics of a donor level in Si-doped GaN were studied. ► Activation energy of a Si-related donor was estimated from temperature dependent PL measurements. ► PL peak positions, FWHM of PL and activation energies are found to be proportional to the cube root of carrier density. ► The involvement of donor levels is supported by the temperature-dependent electron concentration measurements. -- Abstract: The n-type GaN layers were grown by plasma-assisted MBE and either intentionally doped with Si or unintentionally doped. The optical characteristics ofmore » a donor level in Si-doped, GaN were studied in terms of photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy as a function of electron concentration. Temperature dependent PL measurements allowed us to estimate the activation energy of a Si-related donor from temperature-induced decay of PL intensity. PL peak positions, full width at half maximum of PL and activation energies are found to be proportional to the cube root of carrier density. The involvement of donor levels is supported by the temperature-dependent electron concentration measurements.« less

  9. Alternative allogeneic donor sources for transplantation for childhood diseases: unrelated cord blood and haploidentical family donors.

    PubMed

    Cairo, Mitchell S; Rocha, Vanderson; Gluckman, Eliane; Hale, Gregory; Wagner, John

    2008-01-01

    Allogeneic stem cell transplantation has been demonstrated to be curative in a wide variety of pediatric malignant and nonmalignant diseases, and can be traced back over 50 years ago to the original report of Thomas et al. HLA matched sibling donors have been the gold standard for pediatric recipients requiring allogeneic donors for both nonmalignant and malignant conditions. However, only 25% of potential pediatric recipients possesses an HLA-matched sibling donor, and the frequency is even less in those with genetic nonmalignant conditions because of genetically affected other siblings within the family. Therefore, 75% to 90% of potential pediatric recipients require alternative allogeneic donor cells for treatment of their underlying conditions. Potential alternative allogeneic donor sources include unrelated cord blood donors, unrelated adult donors, and haploidentical family donors. In this article we review the experience of both unrelated cord blood donor and haploidentical family donor transplants in selected pediatric malignant and nonmalignant conditions.

  10. Multi-qubit gates protected by adiabaticity and dynamical decoupling applicable to donor qubits in silicon

    DOE PAGES

    Witzel, Wayne; Montano, Ines; Muller, Richard P.; ...

    2015-08-19

    In this paper, we present a strategy for producing multiqubit gates that promise high fidelity with minimal tuning requirements. Our strategy combines gap protection from the adiabatic theorem with dynamical decoupling in a complementary manner. Energy-level transition errors are protected by adiabaticity and remaining phase errors are mitigated via dynamical decoupling. This is a powerful way to divide and conquer the various error channels. In order to accomplish this without violating a no-go theorem regarding black-box dynamically corrected gates [Phys. Rev. A 80, 032314 (2009)], we require a robust operating point (sweet spot) in control space where the qubits interactmore » with little sensitivity to noise. There are also energy gap requirements for effective adiabaticity. We apply our strategy to an architecture in Si with P donors where we assume we can shuttle electrons between different donors. Electron spins act as mobile ancillary qubits and P nuclear spins act as long-lived data qubits. Furthermore, this system can have a very robust operating point where the electron spin is bound to a donor in the quadratic Stark shift regime. High fidelity single qubit gates may be performed using well-established global magnetic resonance pulse sequences. Single electron-spin preparation and measurement has also been demonstrated. Thus, putting this all together, we present a robust universal gate set for quantum computation.« less

  11. Feasibility of liver graft procurement with donor gallbladder preservation in living donor liver transplantation.

    PubMed

    Dong, Jia-Hong; Ye, Sheng; Duan, Wei-Dong; Ji, Wen-Bing; Liang, Yu-Rong

    2015-10-01

    Cholecystectomy is routinely performed at most transplant centers during living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). This study was performed to evaluate the feasibility of liver graft procurement with donor gallbladder preservation in LDLT. Eighty-nine LDLTs (from June 2006 to Dec 2012) were retrospectively analyzed at our hospital. The surgical approach for liver graft procurement with donor gallbladder preservation was assessed, and the anatomy of the cystic artery, the morphology and contractibility of the preserved gallbladder, postoperative symptoms, and vascular and biliary complications were compared among donors with or without gallbladder preservation. Twenty-eight donors (15 right and 13 left-liver grafts) successfully underwent liver graft procurement with gallbladder preservation. Among the 15 right lobectomy donors, for 12 cases (80.0 %) the cystic artery originated from right hepatic artery. From the left hepatic artery and proper hepatic artery accounted for 6.7 % (1/15), respectively. Postoperative symptoms among these 28 donors were slight, although donors with cholecystectomy often complained of fatty food aversion, dyspepsia, and diarrhea during an average follow-up of 58.6 (44-78) months. The morphology and contractibility of the preserved gallbladders were comparable with normal status; the rate of contraction was 53.8 and 76.7 %, respectively, 30 and 60 min after ingestion of a fatty meal. Biliary and vascular complications among donors and recipients, irrespective of gallbladder preservation, were not significantly different. These data suggest that for donors compliant with anatomical requirements, liver graft procurement with gallbladder preservation for the donor is feasible and safe. The preserved gallbladder was assessed as functioning well and postoperative symptoms as a result of cholecystectomy were significantly reduced during long-term follow-up.

  12. First-time blood donors: demographic trends.

    PubMed

    Wu, Y; Glynn, S A; Schreiber, G B; Wright, D J; Lo, A; Murphy, E L; Kleinman, S H; Garratty, G

    2001-03-01

    With changing demographics of the United States population and the continuous need to recruit new donors, it is important to monitor the demographic profile of first-time donors and to evaluate changes in the donor pool to improve recruitment targeting. First-time whole blood (n = 901,862) donors at five United States blood centers between 1991 and 1996 were analyzed. The total number of first-time donors appears to be decreasing. Over the 6-year period, there was an overall increase in the proportion of Hispanic and other minority first-time donors and a concurrent decrease in the proportion of white donors at Retrovirus Epidemiology Donor Study centers. Other variables, including age, sex, and education, did not show a consistent trend. The demographic profile of first-time donors is changing. These data highlight the importance for blood centers to continuously monitor the donor population. A better understanding of the donor population may help blood centers adjust their donor outreach, recruitment, and retention programs. New recruitment efforts appear needed to counter general apathy toward donating blood, and minority groups appear to be receptive to becoming blood donors.

  13. Energy status of pig donor organs after ischemia is independent of donor type.

    PubMed

    Stadlbauer, Vanessa; Stiegler, Philipp; Taeubl, Philipp; Sereinigg, Michael; Puntschart, Andreas; Bradatsch, Andrea; Curcic, Pero; Seifert-Held, Thomas; Zmugg, Gerda; Stojakovic, Tatjana; Leopold, Barbara; Blattl, Daniela; Horki, Vera; Mayrhauser, Ursula; Wiederstein-Grasser, Iris; Leber, Bettina; Jürgens, Günther; Tscheliessnigg, Karlheinz; Hallström, Seth

    2013-04-01

    Literature is controversial whether organs from living donors have a better graft function than brain dead (BD) and non-heart-beating donor organs. Success of transplantation has been correlated with high-energy phosphate (HEP) contents of the graft. HEP contents in heart, liver, kidney, and pancreas from living, BD, and donation after cardiac death in a pig model (n=6 per donor type) were evaluated systematically. BD was induced under general anesthesia by inflating a balloon in the epidural space. Ten hours after confirmation, organs were retrieved. Cardiac arrest was induced by 9V direct current. After 10min of ventricular fibrillation without cardiac output, mechanical and medical reanimation was performed for 30min before organ retrieval. In living donors, organs were explanted immediately. Freeze-clamped biopsies were taken before perfusion with Celsior solution (heart) or University of Wisconsin solution (abdominal organs) in BD and living donors or with Histidine-Tryptophan-Ketoglutaric solution (all organs) in non-heart-beating donors, after perfusion, and after cold ischemia (4h for heart, 6h for liver and pancreas, and 12h for kidney). HEPs (adenosine triphosphate, adenosine diphosphate, adenosine monophosphate, and phosphocreatine), xanthine, and hypoxanthine were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Energy charge and adenosine triphosphate-to-adenosine diphosphate ratio were calculated. After ischemia, organs from different donor types showed no difference in energy status. In all organs, a decrease of HEP and an increase in hypoxanthine contents were observed during perfusion and ischemia, irrespective of the donor type. Organs from BD or non-heart-beating donors do not differ from living donor organs in their energy status after average tolerable ischemia. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Attaching naphthalene derivatives onto BODIPY for generating excited triplet state and singlet oxygen: Tuning PET-based photosensitizer by electron donors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Xian-Fu; Feng, Nan

    2018-01-01

    meso-Naphthalene substituted BODIPY compounds were prepared in a facile one pot reaction. The naphthalene functionalization of BODIPY leads up to a 5-fold increase in the formation efficiency of excited triplet state and singlet oxygen in polar solvents. Steady state and time resolved fluorescence, laser flash photolysis, and quantum chemistry methods were used to reveal the mechanism. All measured data and quantum chemical results suggest that these systems can be viewed as electron donor-acceptor (D-A) pair (BODIPY acts as the acceptor), photoinduced charge transfer (PCT) or photoinduced electron transfer (PET) occurs upon photo excitation (D-A + hν → Dδ +-Aδ -, 0 < δ ≤ 1), and the charge recombination induced the formation of triplet state (Dδ +-Aδ - → D-A (T1). These novel PCT- or PET-based photosensitizers (PSs) show different features from traditional PSs, such as the strong tunability by facile structural modification and good selectivity upon medium polarity. The new character for this type of PSs can lead to important applications in organic oxygenation reactions and photodynamic therapy of tumors.

  15. Frequency and risk factors for donor reactions in an anonymous blood donor survey.

    PubMed

    Goldman, Mindy; Osmond, Lori; Yi, Qi-Long; Cameron-Choi, Keltie; O'Brien, Sheila F

    2013-09-01

    Adverse donor reactions can result in injury and decrease the likelihood of donor return. Reaction reports captured in the blood center's database provide an incomplete picture of reaction rates and risk factors. We performed an anonymous survey, mailed to 40,000 donors in 2008, including questions about symptoms, height, weight, sex, and donation status. Reaction rates were compared to those recorded in our database. Possible risk factors were assessed for various reactions. The response rate was 45.5%. A total of 32% of first-time and 14% of repeat donors reported having any adverse symptom, most frequently bruising (84.9 per 1000 donors) or feeling faint or weak (66.2 per 1000). Faint reactions were two to eight times higher than reported in our database, although direct comparison was difficult. Younger age, female sex, and first-time donation status were risk factors for systemic and arm symptoms. In females, low estimated blood volume (EBV) was a risk factor for systemic symptoms. Only 51% of donors who consulted an outside physician also called Canadian Blood Services. A total of 10% of first-time donors with reactions found adverse effects information inadequate. This study allowed us to collect more information about adverse reactions, including minor symptoms and delayed reactions. Based on our findings of the risk factors and frequency of adverse reactions, we are implementing more stringent EBV criteria for younger donors and providing more detailed information to donors about possible adverse effects and their management. © 2012 American Association of Blood Banks.

  16. Alternative Donor Graft Sources for Adults with Hematologic Malignancies: A Donor for All Patients in 2017!

    PubMed

    Kindwall-Keller, Tamila L; Ballen, Karen K

    2017-09-01

    Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is potentially curative for a wide variety of malignant diseases, including acute and leukemias, lymphoma, and myelodysplasia. Choice of a stem cell donor is dependent on donor availability, donor compatibility and health, recipient disease type, and recipient condition. Current sources of stem cell donation for HSCT are matched sibling donors (MSDs), matched unrelated donors (MUDs), 1-antigen mismatched unrelated donors (MMUDs), haploidentical donors (haplo), and umbilical cord blood (UCB) units. Historically, preferred donors for HSCT have been human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched sibling donors; however, only about 30% of U.S. patients will have a MSD available. The majority of patients referred for HSCT will require an alternative donor graft: MUD, MMUD, UCB, or haplo. The likelihood of finding a MUD varies depending on the ethnicity of the recipient. White Caucasians of European descent have the greatest chance of finding a MUD. Chances of finding a MUD are significantly less for African-American or Hispanic recipients due to HLA polymorphisms. Therefore, MMUD, UCB, and haplo donor graft sources expand the donor pool for recipients who do not have a MSD or MUD available. Given the variety of different donor stem cell sources available today, nearly every patient who needs an allogeneic HSCT has a potential donor in 2017. All transplant-eligible patients with hematologic malignancies should be evaluated by a transplant center to determine if HSCT is a viable treatment option for their underlying disease process. The goal of this review is to increase the awareness of oncology practitioners to the availability of alternative donor stem cell transplants for patients with hematologic malignancies. Despite new agents, stem cell transplant remains the only curative therapy for many patients with acute and chronic leukemia, myelodysplasia, and lymphoma. Given the variety of different donor stem cell sources available today

  17. Our Future Donors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Richard E.

    2004-01-01

    The rhetorical advantages and dangers involved in casting the students as "future donors" are explained. The way in which the institutions have to change for casting its students as future donors is described.

  18. Remuneration of hematopoietic stem cell donors: principles and perspective of the World Marrow Donor Association.

    PubMed

    Boo, Michael; van Walraven, Suzanna M; Chapman, Jeremy; Lindberg, Brian; Schmidt, Alexander H; Shaw, Bronwen E; Switzer, Galen E; Yang, Edward; Egeland, Torstein

    2011-01-06

    Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a curative procedure for life-threatening hematologic diseases. Donation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from an unrelated donor, frequently residing in another country, may be the only option for 70% of those in need of unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. To maximize the opportunity to find the best available donor, individual donor registries collaborate internationally. To provide homogeneity of practice among registries, the World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA) sets standards against which registries are accredited and provides guidance and regulations about unrelated donor safety and care. A basic tenet of the donor registries is that unrelated HSC donation is an altruistic act; nonpayment of donors is entrenched in the WMDA standards and in international practice. In the United States, the prohibition against remuneration of donors has recently been challenged. Here, we describe the reasons that the WMDA continues to believe that HSC donors should not be paid because of ethical concerns raised by remuneration, potential to damage the public will to act altruistically, the potential for coercion and exploitation of donors, increased risk to patients, harm to local transplantation programs and international stem cell exchange, and the possibility of benefiting some patients while disadvantaging others.

  19. Comparable Outcomes after HLA-Matched Sibling and Alternative Donor Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Children with Fanconi Anemia and Severe Aplastic Anemia.

    PubMed

    Ebens, Christen L; DeFor, Todd E; Tryon, Rebecca; Wagner, John E; MacMillan, Margaret L

    2018-04-01

    Fanconi anemia (FA)-associated severe aplastic anemia (SAA) requires allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) for cure. With the evolution of conditioning regimens over time, outcomes of alternative donor HCT (AD-HCT) have improved dramatically. We compared outcomes of HLA-matched sibling donor HCT (MSD-HCT; n = 17) and AD-HCT (n = 57) performed for FA-associated SAA at a single institution between 2001 and 2016. Overall survival at 5 years was 94% for MSD-HCT versus 86% for AD-HCT, neutrophil engraftment was 100% versus 95%, platelet recovery was 100% versus 89%, grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was 6% versus 12%, grade III-IV acute GVHD was 6% versus 4%, and chronic GVHD was 0 versus 7%, with no statistically significant differences by type of transplant. The use of UCB was associated with decreased rates of neutrophil recovery in AD-HCT and platelet recovery in both MSD-HCT and AD-HCT. A trend toward a higher serious infection density before day +100 post-HCT was observed in AD-HCT compared with MSD-HCT (P = .02). These data demonstrate that AD-HCT should be considered at the same time as MSD-HCT for patients with FA-associated SAA. Copyright © 2017 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Validation of systems biology derived molecular markers of renal donor organ status associated with long term allograft function.

    PubMed

    Perco, Paul; Heinzel, Andreas; Leierer, Johannes; Schneeberger, Stefan; Bösmüller, Claudia; Oberhuber, Rupert; Wagner, Silvia; Engler, Franziska; Mayer, Gert

    2018-05-03

    Donor organ quality affects long term outcome after renal transplantation. A variety of prognostic molecular markers is available, yet their validity often remains undetermined. A network-based molecular model reflecting donor kidney status based on transcriptomics data and molecular features reported in scientific literature to be associated with chronic allograft nephropathy was created. Significantly enriched biological processes were identified and representative markers were selected. An independent kidney pre-implantation transcriptomics dataset of 76 organs was used to predict estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) values twelve months after transplantation using available clinical data and marker expression values. The best-performing regression model solely based on the clinical parameters donor age, donor gender, and recipient gender explained 17% of variance in post-transplant eGFR values. The five molecular markers EGF, CD2BP2, RALBP1, SF3B1, and DDX19B representing key molecular processes of the constructed renal donor organ status molecular model in addition to the clinical parameters significantly improved model performance (p-value = 0.0007) explaining around 33% of the variability of eGFR values twelve months after transplantation. Collectively, molecular markers reflecting donor organ status significantly add to prediction of post-transplant renal function when added to the clinical parameters donor age and gender.

  1. Impact of the Cornea Donor Study (CDS) on Acceptance of Corneas from Older Donors

    PubMed Central

    Sugar, Alan; Montoya, Monty M.; Beck, Roy; Cowden, John W.; Dontchev, Mariya; Gal, Robin L.; Kollman, Craig; Malling, Jackie; Mannis, Mark J.; Tennant, Bradley

    2014-01-01

    Purpose Evaluate retrospectively whether findings from the Cornea Donor Study (CDS) led to changes in the transplantation of corneas from older donors. Methods United States eye banks provided complete data on donor age and placement (domestic or international) for 86,273 corneas from 1998 to 2009. The data were analyzed by 3 time periods: preceding CDS (1998–1999), during CDS (2000–2007) and after publication of CDS 5 year results (2008–2009), and separately for corneas placed within vs. outside the United States. Results For corneal tissues transplanted in the United States, the percentage of donors ≥66 years old increased from 19% before CDS to 21% during CDS and 25% after CDS (p<0.001). Corresponding median (25th-75th percentile) donor ages were 53 (39–63), 54 (41–64) and 57 (46–66), respectively (p<0.001). The opposite trend was observed for corneas distributed outside the United States with the percentage of donors ≥66 years old decreasing from 56% to 42% to 34%, respectively. Donor age trends over time varied by eye bank. Conclusions There was a modest overall increase in the donor age of corneas transplanted in the United States from 1998 to 2009, but the retrospective nature of the study limits our ability to attribute this change to the CDS. The modest increases in the donor age of corneas transplanted is a positive finding, but wider acceptance of older corneal donor tissue should be encouraged based on the five-year evidence generated by the CDS. PMID:22262218

  2. Tunable Rh 2(II,II) Light Absorbers as Excited State Electron Donors and Acceptors Accessible with Red/Near-IR Irradiation

    DOE PAGES

    Whittemore, Tyler; Millet, Agustin; Sayre, Hannah; ...

    2018-04-04

    In this study, a series of dirhodium(II,II) paddlewheeel complexes of the type cis-[Rh 2(μ-DTolF) 2(μ-L) 2][BF 4] 2, where DTolF = N,N'-di(p-tolyl)formamidinate and L = 1,8-naphthyridine (np), 2-(pyridin-2-yl)-1,8-naphthyridine (pynp), 2-(quinolin-2-yl)-1,8-naphthyridine (qnnp), and 2-(1,8-naphthyridin-2-yl)quinoxaline (qxnp), were synthesized and characterized. These molecules feature new tridentate ligands that concomitantly bridge the dirhodium core and cap the axial positions. The complexes absorb light strongly throughout the ultraviolet/visible range and into the near-infrared region and exhibit relatively long-lived triplet excited-state lifetimes. Both the singlet and triplet excited states exhibit metal/ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (ML-LCT) in nature as determined by transient absorption spectroscopy and spectroelectrochemistry measurements. Whenmore » irradiated with low-energy light, these black dyes are capable of undergoing reversible bimolecular electron transfer both to the electron acceptor methyl viologen and from the electron donor p-phenylenediamine. Photoinduced charge transfer in the latter was inaccessible with previous Rh 2(II,II) complexes. Finally, these results underscore the fact that the excited state of this class of molecules can be readily tuned for electron-transfer reactions upon simple synthetic modification and highlight their potential as excellent candidates for p- and n-type semiconductor applications and for improved harvesting of low-energy light to drive useful photochemical reactions.« less

  3. Tunable Rh 2(II,II) Light Absorbers as Excited State Electron Donors and Acceptors Accessible with Red/Near-IR Irradiation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Whittemore, Tyler; Millet, Agustin; Sayre, Hannah

    In this study, a series of dirhodium(II,II) paddlewheeel complexes of the type cis-[Rh 2(μ-DTolF) 2(μ-L) 2][BF 4] 2, where DTolF = N,N'-di(p-tolyl)formamidinate and L = 1,8-naphthyridine (np), 2-(pyridin-2-yl)-1,8-naphthyridine (pynp), 2-(quinolin-2-yl)-1,8-naphthyridine (qnnp), and 2-(1,8-naphthyridin-2-yl)quinoxaline (qxnp), were synthesized and characterized. These molecules feature new tridentate ligands that concomitantly bridge the dirhodium core and cap the axial positions. The complexes absorb light strongly throughout the ultraviolet/visible range and into the near-infrared region and exhibit relatively long-lived triplet excited-state lifetimes. Both the singlet and triplet excited states exhibit metal/ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (ML-LCT) in nature as determined by transient absorption spectroscopy and spectroelectrochemistry measurements. Whenmore » irradiated with low-energy light, these black dyes are capable of undergoing reversible bimolecular electron transfer both to the electron acceptor methyl viologen and from the electron donor p-phenylenediamine. Photoinduced charge transfer in the latter was inaccessible with previous Rh 2(II,II) complexes. Finally, these results underscore the fact that the excited state of this class of molecules can be readily tuned for electron-transfer reactions upon simple synthetic modification and highlight their potential as excellent candidates for p- and n-type semiconductor applications and for improved harvesting of low-energy light to drive useful photochemical reactions.« less

  4. Powering microbes with electricity: direct electron transfer from electrodes to microbes.

    PubMed

    Lovley, Derek R

    2011-02-01

    The discovery of electrotrophs, microorganisms that can directly accept electrons from electrodes for the reduction of terminal electron acceptors, has spurred the investigation of a wide range of potential applications. To date, only a handful of pure cultures have been shown to be capable of electrotrophy, but this process has also been inferred in many studies with undefined consortia. Potential electron acceptors include: carbon dioxide, nitrate, metals, chlorinated compounds, organic acids, protons and oxygen. Direct electron transfer from electrodes to cells has many advantages over indirect electrical stimulation of microbial metabolism via electron shuttles or hydrogen production. Supplying electrons with electrodes for the bioremediation of chlorinated compounds, nitrate or toxic metals may be preferable to adding organic electron donors or hydrogen to the subsurface or bioreactors. The most transformative application of electrotrophy may be microbial electrosynthesis in which carbon dioxide and water are converted to multi-carbon organic compounds that are released extracellularly. Coupling photovoltaic technology with microbial electrosynthesis represents a novel photosynthesis strategy that avoids many of the drawbacks of biomass-based strategies for the production of transportation fuels and other organic chemicals. The mechanisms for direct electron transfer from electrodes to microorganisms warrant further investigation in order to optimize envisioned applications. © 2010 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  5. Promoting Organ Donor Registries Through Public Education: What Is the Cost of Securing Organ Donors?

    PubMed

    Razdan, Manik; Smith, Kenneth J; Bryce, Cindy L; Degenholtz, Howard B

    2016-06-01

    Transplant medicine's impact on America's public health is seriously limited by acute shortage of transplantable organs. Consequently, the United Sates has witnessed considerable investment in the promotion of organ donor registries. Although there is no evidence to support that donor registry promotion alleviates organ shortage, this belief continues to drive investments into registry promotion. In this study, return on investment in donor registry promotion was examined using cost-outcomes analysis. Cost of promoting the donor registry was estimated in US dollars whereas the outcome was measured as the number of individuals who join the registry (registrants) and their value in terms of organ donors. The study was conducted from the perspective of a regional Organ Procurement Organization (OPO). Costs were directly obtained from the OPO. The number of new registrants was obtained from the OPO and the departments of motor vehicles that maintain the donor registry. The value of registrants in terms of organ donors was computed based on a registrant's age-dependent risk of dying and age-dependent probability of becoming an organ donor. Six thousand seven hundred eight individuals joined the organ donor registry (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 5429-7956) at a cost of $455 per registrant (95% CI, US $383-US $562). These individuals result in 4.2 present-day donors (95% CI, 2.5-6.6) at a cost of US $726 000 (95% CI, US $462000-US $1.2 million). Because the cost per registrant and cost per donor is less than society's willingness to pay, donor registry promotion offers positive return on investment. Investment in registry promotion should at the minimum be maintained at current levels.

  6. Swedish sperm donors are driven by altruism, but shortage of sperm donors leads to reproductive travelling.

    PubMed

    Ekerhovd, Erling; Faurskov, Anders; Werner, Charlotte

    2008-01-01

    Swedish legislation requires that sperm donors are identifiable to offspring. In Denmark sperm donors remain anonymous. The aim of this study was to examine sperm donation in Sweden by identifying socio-demographic backgrounds, motivations and attitudes among donors and to describe options and plans of sperm recipients. Furthermore, the willingness of Swedish health care providers to assist in treatment abroad, where sperm from an anonymous donor were to be used, was assessed. The extent of travelling to Denmark for reproductive purposes was also examined. Thirty Swedish sperm donors completed a questionnaire and were interviewed about their backgrounds, motivations and attitudes. Thirty couples where the infertility workup had shown azoospermia were interviewed about their options for achieving parenthood. The willingness to assist in fertility treatment abroad and the extent of reproductive cross border travelling were assessed by interviewing health care providers and by contacting Danish clinics. Almost all donors were Caucasian. The main motivation for sperm donors was to help others. Owing to shortage of sperm donors many Caucasian recipients intended to have treatment abroad. For most non-Caucasian recipients sperm from a donor of appropriate ethnicity were not available in Sweden. Whether the sperm donor was anonymous or identifiable was not of major importance to most sperm recipients. Health care providers expressed unanimous willingness to assist in treatment with sperm from an anonymous donor. Our inquiry indicated that more than 250 Swedish sperm recipients travel to Denmark annually. Identifiable sperm donors are driven by altruistic motives, but shortage of sperm donors leads to reproductive travelling. Recruitment strategies to increase the number of sperm donors in Sweden are therefore warranted.

  7. Charge Transfer and Collection in Dilute Organic Donor-Acceptor Heterojunction Blends.

    PubMed

    Ding, Kan; Liu, Xiao; Forrest, Stephen R

    2018-05-09

    Experimental and theoretical approaches are used to understand the role of nanomorphology on exciton dissociation and charge collection at dilute donor-acceptor (D-A) organic heterojunctions (HJs). Specifically, two charge transfer (CT) states in D-A mixed HJs comprising nanocrystalline domains of tetraphenyldibenzoperiflanthene (DBP) as the donor and C 70 as the acceptor are unambiguously related to the nanomorphology of the mixed layer. Alternating DBP:C 70 multilayer stacks are used to identify and control the optical properties of the CT states, as well as to simulate the dilute mixed heterojunctions. A kinetic Monte Carlo model along with photoluminescence spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy are used to quantitatively evaluate the layer morphology under various growth conditions. As a result, we are able to understand the counterintuitive observation of high charge extraction efficiency and device performance of DBP:C 70 mixed layer photovoltaics at surprisingly low (∼10%) donor concentrations.

  8. Design and Synthesis of Novel Block Copolymers for Efficient Opto-Electronic Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sun, Sam-Shajing; Fan, Zhen; Wang, Yiqing; Taft, Charles; Haliburton, James; Maaref, Shahin

    2002-01-01

    It has been predicted that nano-phase separated block copolymer systems containing electron rich donor blocks and electron deficient acceptor blocks may facilitate the charge carrier separation and migration in organic photovoltaic devices due to improved morphology in comparison to polymer blend system. This paper presents preliminary data describing the design and synthesis of a novel Donor-Bridge-Acceptor (D-B-A) block copolymer system for potential high efficient organic optoelectronic applications. Specifically, the donor block contains an electron donating alkyloxy derivatized polyphenylenevinylene (PPV), the acceptor block contains an electron withdrawing alkyl-sulfone derivatized polyphenylenevinylene (PPV), and the bridge block contains an electronically neutral non-conjugated aliphatic hydrocarbon chain. The key synthetic strategy includes the synthesis of each individual block first, then couple the blocks together. While the donor block stabilizes and facilitates the transport of the holes, the acceptor block stabilizes and facilitates the transport of the electrons, the bridge block is designed to hinder the probability of electron-hole recombination. Thus, improved charge separation and stability are expected with this system. In addition, charge migration toward electrodes may also be facilitated due to the potential nano-phase separated and highly ordered block copolymer ultra-structure.

  9. Negative polarity of phenyl-C{sub 61} butyric acid methyl ester adjacent to donor macromolecule domains

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Alley, Olivia J.; Dawidczyk, Thomas J.; Hardigree, Josué F. Martínez

    2015-01-19

    Interfacial fields within organic photovoltaics influence the movement of free charge carriers, including exciton dissociation and recombination. Open circuit voltage (V{sub oc}) can also be dependent on the interfacial fields, in the event that they modulate the energy gap between donor HOMO and acceptor LUMO. A rise in the vacuum level of the acceptor will increase the gap and the V{sub oc}, which can be beneficial for device efficiency. Here, we measure the interfacial potential differences at donor-acceptor junctions using Scanning Kelvin Probe Microscopy, and quantify how much of the potential difference originates from physical contact between the donor andmore » acceptor. We see a statistically significant and pervasive negative polarity on the phenyl-C{sub 61} butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) side of PCBM/donor junctions, which should also be present at the complex interfaces in bulk heterojunctions. This potential difference may originate from molecular dipoles, interfacial interactions with donor materials, and/or equilibrium charge transfer due to the higher work function and electron affinity of PCBM. We show that the contact between PCBM and poly(3-hexylthiophene) doubles the interfacial potential difference, a statistically significant difference. Control experiments determined that this potential difference was not due to charges trapped in the underlying substrate. The direction of the observed potential difference would lead to increased V{sub oc}, but would also pose a barrier to electrons being injected into the PCBM and make recombination more favorable. Our method may allow unique information to be obtained in new donor-acceptor junctions.« less

  10. Delays in Prior Living Kidney Donors Receiving Priority on the Transplant Waiting List

    PubMed Central

    Klassen, David K.; Kucheryavaya, Anna Y.; Stewart, Darren E.

    2016-01-01

    Background and objectives Prior living donors (PLDs) receive very high priority on the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) kidney waiting list. Program delays in adding PLDs to the waiting list, setting their status to active, and submitting requests for PLD priority can affect timely access to transplantation. Design, setting, participants, & measurements We used the OPTN and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data to examine timing of (1) listing relative to start of dialysis, (2) activation on the waiting list, and (3) requests for PLD priority relative to listing date. There were 210 PLDs (221 registrations) added to the OPTN kidney waiting list between January 1, 2010 and July 31, 2015. Results As of September 4, 2015, 167 of the 210 PLDs received deceased donor transplants, six received living donor transplants, two died, five were too sick to transplant, and 29 were still waiting. Median waiting time to deceased donor transplant for PLDs was 98 days. Only 40.7% of 221 PLD registrations (n=90) were listed before they began dialysis; 68.3% were in inactive status for <90 days, 17.6% were in inactive status for 90–365 days, 8.6% were in inactive status for 1–2 years, and 5.4% were in inactive status for >2 years. Median time of PLDs waiting in active status before receiving PLD priority was 2 days (range =0–1450); 67.4% of PLDs received PLD priority within 7 days after activation, but 15.4% waited 8–30 days, 8.1% waited 1–3 months, 4.1% waited 3–12 months, and 5.0% waited >1 year in active status for PLD priority. After receiving priority, most were transplanted quickly. Median time in active status with PLD priority before deceased donor transplant was 23 days. Conclusions Fewer than one half of listed PLDs were listed before starting dialysis. Most listed PLDs are immediately set to active status and receive PLD priority quickly, but a substantial number spends time in active status without PLD priority or a large

  11. Does size matter? Kidney transplant donor size determines kidney function among living donors

    PubMed Central

    Narasimhamurthy, Meenakshi; Smith, Lachlan M.; Machan, Jason T.; Reinert, Steven E.; Gohh, Reginald Y.; Dworkin, Lance D.; Merhi, Basma; Patel, Nikunjkumar; Beland, Michael D.

    2017-01-01

    Background Kidney donor outcomes are gaining attention, particularly as donor eligibility criteria continue to expand. Kidney size, a useful predictor of recipient kidney function, also likely correlates with donor outcomes. Although donor evaluation includes donor kidney size measurements, the association between kidney size and outcomes are poorly defined. Methods We examined the relationship between kidney size (body surface area-adjusted total volume, cortical volume and length) and renal outcomes (post-operative recovery and longer-term kidney function) among 85 kidney donors using general linear models and time-to-chronic kidney disease data. Results Donors with the largest adjusted cortical volume were more likely to achieve an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2 over a median 24-month follow-up than those with smaller cortical volumes (P <0.001), had a shorter duration of renal recovery (1.3–2.2 versus 32.5 days) and started with a higher eGFR at pre-donation (107–110 versus 91 mL/min/1.73 m2) and immediately post-nephrectomy (∼63 versus 50–51 mL/min/1.73 m2). Similar findings were seen with adjusted total volume and length. Conclusions Larger kidney donors were more likely to achieve an eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2 with renal recovery over a shorter duration due to higher pre-donation and initial post-nephrectomy eGFRs. PMID:28638611

  12. Higher organ donation consent rates by relatives of potential uncontrolled donors versus potential controlled donors after death.

    PubMed

    Wind, Jentina; van Mook, Walther N K A; Willems, Monique E C; van Heurn, L W Ernest

    2012-11-01

    Refusal to consent to organ donation is an important cause of the persisting gap between the number of potential organ donors and effectuated donors. In the Netherlands, organ donors include both uncontrolled donors: donors who die unexpectedly after cardiac death (DCD), after failed resuscitation and donors in whom death can be expected and donors after brain death, and controlled DCD donors: those who die after the withdrawal of treatment. Different donor type implies a different setting in which relatives are requested to consent to organ donation. It is unknown whether the setting influences the eventual decision for donation or not. Therefore, we compared the consent rate in potential donors who died unexpectedly (UD group) and in whom death was expected. A total of 523 potential organ donors between 2003 and 2011 in the 715-bed Maastricht University Medical Centre, the Netherlands were included. Both the patients' registration in the national donor register (DR) and the relatives' refusal rate in the two groups were retrospectively assessed using data from the donation application database. There were 109 unexpected and 414 expected potential donors The potential donors in the UD group were younger (mean age 52 versus 55 years, P = 0.032) and more often male (68 versus 52%, P = 0.003). There were no significant differences in registration in the DR between the groups. The relatives' consent rate in non-registered potential donors, or those who mandated the relatives for that decision, was higher in the UD group (53 versus 29%, P < 0.001). Less than 50% of the potential donors were registered in the national DR. Therefore, the relatives have an important role in the choice for organ donation. The relatives of potential donors who died unexpectedly consented more often to donation than those in whom death was expected.

  13. Human decellularized bone scaffolds from aged donors show improved osteoinductive capacity compared to young donor bone.

    PubMed

    Smith, Christopher A; Board, Tim N; Rooney, Paul; Eagle, Mark J; Richardson, Stephen M; Hoyland, Judith A

    2017-01-01

    To improve the safe use of allograft bone, decellularization techniques may be utilized to produce acellular scaffolds. Such scaffolds should retain their innate biological and biomechanical capacity and support mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) osteogenic differentiation. However, as allograft bone is derived from a wide age-range, this study aimed to determine whether donor age impacts on the ability an osteoinductive, acellular scaffold produced from human bone to promote the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow MSCs (BM-MSC). BM-MSCs from young and old donors were seeded on acellular bone cubes from young and old donors undergoing osteoarthritis related hip surgery. All combinations resulted in increased osteogenic gene expression, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) enzyme activity, however BM-MSCs cultured on old donor bone displayed the largest increases. BM-MSCs cultured in old donor bone conditioned media also displayed higher osteogenic gene expression and ALP activity than those exposed to young donor bone conditioned media. ELISA and Luminex analysis of conditioned media demonstrated similar levels of bioactive factors between age groups; however, IGF binding protein 1 (IGFBP1) concentration was significantly higher in young donor samples. Additionally, structural analysis of old donor bone indicated an increased porosity compared to young donor bone. These results demonstrate the ability of a decellularized scaffold produced from young and old donors to support osteogenic differentiation of cells from young and old donors. Significantly, the older donor bone produced greater osteogenic differentiation which may be related to reduced IGFBP1 bioavailability and increased porosity, potentially explaining the excellent clinical results seen with the use of allograft from aged donors.

  14. The use of neoplastic donors to increase the donor pool.

    PubMed

    Fiaschetti, P; Pretagostini, R; Stabile, D; Peritore, D; Oliveti, A; Gabbrielli, F; Cenci, S; Ricci, A; Vespasiano, F; Grigioni, W F

    2012-09-01

    The aim of the study was to evaluate the experience of the Centre-Sud Transplant Organization (OCST) area using cadaveric donor with neoplastic diseases to evaluate the possibility of transmission to recipients. From January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2010, the neoplastic risk has been reported to be 5.4% (377/4654 referred donors). In 2003, the number of donors with a tumor and their mean age were respectively: 60 (10.3%) and 59.6 ± 19.9; 2004: 33 (5.2%) and 61.4 ± 15.9; 2005: 32 (6%) and 62.8 ± 15.5; 2006: 46 (7%) and 60.7 ± 19.1; 2007: 51 (7%) and 58.9 ± 16; in 2008: 58 (7%) and 59.7 ± 19.6; 2009: 47 (7%) and 57 ± 26; 2010: 49 (7%) and 64 ± 16. The organ most affected by tumor has been the central nervous system (18%). The tumor was diagnosed before in 325 (86%) cases, versus during organ retrieval in 48 (12.7%) donor operations but before, which four cases (1%) occured after transplantation. According to the histological types and grades, 28 evaluated donors (8.2%) were suitable for transplantation. The histological types were: thyroid carcinoma (n = 3); prostate carcinoma (n = 8), renal clear cell carcinoma (n = 7), oncocytoma (n = 1), meningiomas (n = 2), dermofibrosarcoma (n = 1); verrucous carcinoma of the vulva (n = 1), colon adenocarcinoma (n = 1), grade II astrocytoma (n = 1), adrenal gland tumor (n = 1), gastric GIST (n = 1), oligodendroglioma (n = 1). Forty-five organs were retrieved (22 livers, 19 kidneys, 3 hearts, and 1 pancreas) and transplanted into 44 recipients with 1 liver-kidney combined transplantation. Four recipients died due to causes not related to the tumor. No donor-transmitted tumor was detected among the recipients. Donation is absolutely not indicated in cases of tumors with high metastatic potential and high grades. Performing an accurate evaluation of the donor, taking into account the histological grade, currently can allow, organ retrieval and transplantation with an acceptable risk. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier

  15. The impact of meeting donor management goals on the number of organs transplanted per donor: results from the United Network for Organ Sharing Region 5 prospective donor management goals study.

    PubMed

    Malinoski, Darren J; Patel, Madhukar S; Daly, Michael C; Oley-Graybill, Chrystal; Salim, Ali

    2012-10-01

    Many organ procurement organizations have implemented critical care end points as donor management goals in efforts to increase organs transplanted per donor after neurologic determination of death. Although retrospective studies have demonstrated an association between meeting donor management goals and organ yield, prospective studies are lacking. In June 2008, nine donor management goals were prospectively implemented as a checklist and every donor after neurologic determination of death was managed to meet them. The donor management goals represented normal cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, and endocrine end points. Data were collected for 7 months. Donor management goals "met" was defined a priori as achieving any seven of the nine donor management goals, and this was recorded at the time of consent, 12-18 hrs later, and prior to organ recovery. The primary outcome measure was ≥4 organs transplanted per donor, and binary logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of this outcome with a p<.05. All eight organ procurement organizations in the five Southwestern United States (United Network for Organ Sharing Region 5). All standard criteria donors after neurologic determination of deaths. Prospective implementation of a donor management goal checklist. There were 380 standard criteria donors with 3.6±1.7 organs transplanted per donor. Fifteen percent had donor management goals met at the time of consent, 33% at 12-18 hrs, and 38% prior to organ recovery. Forty-eight percent had ≥4 organs transplanted per donor. Donors with ≥4 organs transplanted per donor had significantly more individual donor management goals met at all three time points. Independent predictors of ≥4 organs transplanted per donor were age (odds ratio=0.95 per year), final creatinine (odds ratio=0.75 per 1-unit increase), donor management goals "met" at consent (odds ratio=2.03), donor management goals "met" prior to organ recovery (odds ratio=2.34), and a change in

  16. An Electron-Deficient Building Block Based on the B←N Unit: An Electron Acceptor for All-Polymer Solar Cells.

    PubMed

    Dou, Chuandong; Long, Xiaojing; Ding, Zicheng; Xie, Zhiyuan; Liu, Jun; Wang, Lixiang

    2016-01-22

    A double B←N bridged bipyridyl (BNBP) is a novel electron-deficient building block for polymer electron acceptors in all-polymer solar cells. The B←N bridging units endow BNBP with fixed planar configuration and low-lying LUMO/HOMO energy levels. As a result, the polymer based on BNBP units (P-BNBP-T) exhibits high electron mobility, low-lying LUMO/HOMO energy levels, and strong absorbance in the visible region, which is desirable for polymer electron acceptors. Preliminary all-polymer solar cell (all-PSC) devices with P-BNBP-T as the electron acceptor and PTB7 as the electron donor exhibit a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.38%, which is among the highest values of all-PSCs with PTB7 as the electron donor. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Competition for electrons between mono-oxygenations of pyridine and 2-hydroxypyridine.

    PubMed

    Yang, Chao; Tang, Yingxia; Xu, Hua; Yan, Ning; Li, Naiyu; Zhang, Yongming; Rittmann, Bruce E

    2018-05-21

    Pyridine and its heterocyclic derivatives are widely encountered in industrial wastewaters, and they are relatively recalcitrant to biodegradation. Pyridine biodegradation is initiated by two mono-oxygenation reactions that compete for intracellular electron donor (2H). In our experiments, UV photolysis of pyridine generated succinate, whose oxidation augmented the intracellular electron donor and accelerated pyridine biodegradation and mineralization. The first mono-oxygenation reaction always was faster than the second one, because electrons provided by intracellular electron donors were preferentially utilized by the first mono-oxygenase; this was true even when the concentration of 2HP was greater than the concentration of pyridine. In addition, the first mono-oxygenation had faster kinetics because it had higher affinity for its substrate (pyridine), along with less substrate self-inhibition.

  18. Diamagnetic susceptibility of a hydrogenic donor in a group IV-VI quantum dot-quantum well heterostructure

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Saravanamoorthy, S. N.; Peter, A. John, E-mail: a.john.peter@gmail.com

    2016-05-23

    Electronic properties of a hydrogenic donor impurity in a CdSe/Pb{sub 0.8}Cd{sub 0.2}Se/CdSe quantum dot quantum well system are investigated for various radii of core with shell materials. Confined energies are obtained taking into account the geometrical size of the system and thereby the donor binding energies are found. The diamagnetic susceptibility is estimated for a confined shallow donor in the well system. The results show that the diamagnetic susceptibility strongly depends on core and shell radii and it is more sensitive to variations of the geometrical size of the well material.

  19. Female-partnered and single women's contact motivations and experiences with donor-linked families.

    PubMed

    Goldberg, A E; Scheib, J E

    2015-06-01

    What are female-partnered and single mothers' motivations and experiences at one donor insemination (DI) program with regard to contacting other families who share the same sperm donor? By and large, women reported seeking contact to obtain (i) support for their children and/or themselves, and (ii) information about shared traits and medical problems, ultimately describing a range of contact experiences, both positive (e.g. special bond created) and negative (e.g. uncomfortable encounters). There is a growing phenomenon of donor insemination families-parents and/or offspring-seeking others who share their donor (i.e. are 'donor-linked'). There is limited understanding about parental motivations and experiences-especially in the presence of a second parent-due to the methodological constraints of previous quantitative studies. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 50 donor insemination mothers (14 single, 36 female-partnered). Participants were recruited by email invitation to parent members of a family-matching service at one donor insemination program in the USA. The criterion for inclusion was having matched to at least one donor-linked family. Among the 50 mothers interviewed, all had at least one child conceived via donor insemination, who was between ages 0 and 15 years at first contact. Families matched with a median of three donor-linked families (range 1-10). Interview data were analyzed through qualitative (i.e. thematic) analysis. Overarching themes emerged of seeking contact to obtain (i) support and (ii) information about children's shared physical and psychological traits. Some wanted to increase their child's family network, through adding a sibling, but more often as extended family. Data, from partnered parents especially, revealed the challenges of balancing the boundaries of family formed without the genetic link with the perceived benefits of exploring the child's donor origins. Interviews focused on openness and information

  20. Family experience of waiting for living donor liver transplantation: from parental donor perspective.

    PubMed

    Chou, Chu-Yi; Chen, Yu-Chih; Chen, Chao-Long; Chen, Jo-Lin; Mu, Pei-Fan

    2009-06-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate from the perspectives of the donor parents of children with biliary atresia, the essence of family experiences during the period when waiting for a living donor liver transplant. Living donor liver transplantation is a new hope for children and families when the child suffers from biliary atresia. It is obvious, during the waiting period, for a family with a child undergoing living donor liver transplantation, that the process has a serious impact and there is a need for them to be well-prepared. A descriptive phenomenological design was used in this study. Nine donor parents from a medical centre in Taiwan participated in this study. The inclusion criteria were that the parent had a child with biliary atresia, that the child had received living donor liver transplantation over the last year and a half and that the parent was the living donor for child's liver transplantation. An open in-depth interview technique encouraged the parents to reflect on their experiences as the process raised their feelings to a conscious level. The data were analysed using the Colaizzi's approach. This study explores the essence of families undergoing the waiting period for living donor liver transplantation surgery from the point of view of the donating parents. Five themes emerged: (1) surgery as hope of rebirth, (2) negotiating the decision to have surgery, (3) the selection of the donor to achieve family welfare, (4) preparing and planning for the surgery and (5) worry over the impact of the surgery. The results demonstrate that the parents' experiences included a variety of domains: hope of rebirth, mental negotiation while deciding on surgery and choice of donor, coping with the preparation for surgery and the possible impact on the family of the surgery. The findings indicated that nursing professionals should provide family-centred care to assist the family with the steps needed to move toward surgery.

  1. Development of an Unrelated Donor Selection Score Predictive of Survival after HCT: Donor Age Matters Most.

    PubMed

    Shaw, Bronwen E; Logan, Brent R; Spellman, Stephen R; Marsh, Steven G E; Robinson, James; Pidala, Joseph; Hurley, Carolyn; Barker, Juliet; Maiers, Martin; Dehn, Jason; Wang, Hailin; Haagenson, Mike; Porter, David; Petersdorf, Effie W; Woolfrey, Ann; Horowitz, Mary M; Verneris, Michael; Hsu, Katharine C; Fleischhauer, Katharina; Lee, Stephanie J

    2018-05-01

    Donor factors, in addition to HLA matching status, have been associated with recipient survival in unrelated donor (URD) hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT); however, there is no hierarchical algorithm that weights the characteristics of individual donors against each other in a quantitative manner to facilitate donor selection. The goal of this study was to develop and validate a donor selection score that prioritizes donor characteristics associated with better survival in 8/8 HLA-matched URDs. Two separate patient/donor cohorts, the first receiving HCT between 1999 and 2011 (n = 5952, c1), and the second between 2012 and 2014 (n = 4510, c2) were included in the analysis. Both cohorts were randomly spilt, 2:1, into training and testing sets. Despite studying over 10,000 URD transplants, we were unable to validate a donor selection score. The only donor characteristic associated with better survival was younger age, with 2-year survival being 3% better when a donor 10 years younger is selected. These results support previous studies suggesting prioritization of a younger 8/8 HLA-matched donor. This large dataset also shows that none of the other donor clinical factors tested were reproducibly associated with survival, and hence flexibility in selecting URDs based on other characteristics is justified. These data support a simplified URD selection process and have significant implications for URD registries. Copyright © 2018 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Stimulated Terahertz Stokes Emission of Silicon Crystals Doped with Antimony Donors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pavlov, S. G.; Hübers, H.-W.; Hovenier, J. N.; Klaassen, T. O.; Carder, D. A.; Phillips, P. J.; Redlich, B.; Riemann, H.; Zhukavin, R. Kh.; Shastin, V. N.

    2006-01-01

    Stimulated Stokes emission has been observed from silicon crystals doped by antimony donors when optically excited by radiation from a tunable infrared free electron laser. The photon energy of the emission is equal to the pump photon energy reduced by the energy of the intervalley transverse acoustic (TA) g phonon in silicon (≈2.92THz). The emission frequency covers the range of 4.6-5.8 THz. The laser process occurs due to a resonant coupling of the 1s(E) and 1s(A1) donor states (separation ≈2.97THz) via the g-TA phonon, which conserves momentum and energy within a single impurity center.

  3. Psychosocial counselling of identifiable sperm donors.

    PubMed

    Visser, M; Mochtar, M H; de Melker, A A; van der Veen, F; Repping, S; Gerrits, T

    2016-05-01

    What do identifiable sperm donors feel about psychosocial counselling? Identifiable sperm donors found it important that psychosocial counselling focused on emotional consequences and on rules and regulations and they expected to have access to psychosocial counselling at the time that donor-offspring actually sought contact. Most studies on sperm donors are on anonymous donors and focus on recruitment, financial compensation, anonymity and motivations. There is limited knowledge on the value that identifiable sperm donors place on psychosocial counselling and what their needs are in this respect. We performed a qualitative study from March until June 2014 with 25 identifiable sperm donors, who were or had been a donor at the Centre for Reproductive Medicine of the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam any time between 1989 and 2014. We held semi-structured in-depth interviews with identifiable sperm donors with an average age of 44 years. The interviews were fully transcribed and analysed using the constant comparative method of grounded theory. Twelve out of 15 donors (former donors ITALIC! n = 8, active donors ITALIC! n = 7) who had received a counselling session during their intake procedure found it important that they had been able to talk about issues such as the emotional consequences of donation, disclosure to their own children, family and friends, future contact with donor-offspring and rules and regulations. Of the 10 former donors who had received no counselling session, 8 had regretted the lack of intensive counselling. In the years following their donation, most donors simply wanted to know how many offspring had been born using their sperm and had no need for further counselling. Nevertheless, they frequently mentioned that they were concerned about the well-being of 'their' offspring. In addition, they would value the availability of psychosocial counselling in the event that donor-offspring actually sought contact. A limitation of our study is its

  4. Robotic-assisted single-port donor nephrectomy using the da Vinci single-site platform.

    PubMed

    LaMattina, John C; Alvarez-Casas, Josue; Lu, Irene; Powell, Jessica M; Sultan, Samuel; Phelan, Michael W; Barth, Rolf N

    2018-02-01

    Although single-port donor nephrectomy offers improved cosmetic outcomes, technical challenges have limited its application to selected centers. Our center has performed over 400 single-port donor nephrectomies. The da Vinci single-site robotic platform was utilized in an effort to overcome the steric, visualization, ergonomic, and other technical limitations associated with the single-port approach. Food and Drug Administration device exemption was obtained. Selection criteria for kidney donation included body mass index <35, left kidney donors, and ≤2 renal arteries. After colonic mobilization using standard single-port techniques, the robotic approach was utilized for ureteral complex and hilar dissection. Three cases were performed using the robotic single-site platform. Average total operative time was 262 ± 42 min including 82 ± 16 min of robotic use. Docking time took 20 ± 10 min. Blood loss averaged 77 ± 64 mL. No intraoperative complications occurred, and all procedures were completed with our standard laparoscopic single-port approach. This is the first clinical experience of robotic-assisted donor nephrectomy utilizing the da Vinci single-site platform. Our experience supported the safety of this approach but found that the technology added cost and complexity without tangible benefit. Development of articulating instruments, energy, and stapling devices will be necessary for increased application of robotic single-site surgery for donor nephrectomy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Homogeneity and variation of donor doping in Verneuil-grown SrTiO3:Nb single crystals

    PubMed Central

    Rodenbücher, C.; Luysberg, M.; Schwedt, A.; Havel, V.; Gunkel, F.; Mayer, J.; Waser, R.

    2016-01-01

    The homogeneity of Verneuil-grown SrTiO3:Nb crystals was investigated. Due to the fast crystal growth process, inhomogeneities in the donor dopant distribution and variation in the dislocation density are expected to occur. In fact, for some crystals optical studies show variations in the density of Ti3+ states on the microscale and a cluster-like surface conductivity was reported in tip-induced resistive switching studies. However, our investigations by TEM, EDX mapping, and 3D atom probe reveal that the Nb donors are distributed in a statistically random manner, indicating that there is clearly no inhomogeneity on the macro-, micro-, and nanoscale in high quality Verneuil-grown crystals. In consequence, the electronic transport in the bulk of donor-doped crystals is homogeneous and it is not significantly channelled by extended defects such as dislocations which justifies using this material, for example, as electronically conducting substrate for epitaxial oxide film growth. PMID:27577508

  6. Influence of a Heterocyclic Nitrogen-Donor Group on the Coordination of Trivalent Actinides and Lanthanides by Aminopolycarboxylate Complexants

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Grimes, Travis S.; Heathman, Colt R.; Jansone-Popova, Santa

    Here, the novel metal chelator N-2-(pyridylmethyl)diethylenetriamine- N,N',N",N"-tetraacetic acid (DTTA-PyM) was designed to replace a single oxygen-donor acetate group of the well-known aminopolycarboxylate complexant diethylenetriamine- N,N,N',N",N"-pentaacetic acid (DTPA) with a nitrogen-donor 2-pyridylmethyl. Potentiometric, spectroscopic, computational, and radioisotope distribution methods show distinct differences for the 4f and 5f coordination environments and enhanced actinide binding due to the nitrogen-bearing heterocyclic moiety. The Am 3+, Cm 3+, and Ln 3+ complexation studies for DTTA-PyM reveal an enhanced preference, relative to DTPA, for trivalent actinide binding. Fluorescence studies indicate no changes to the octadentate coordination of trivalent curium, while evidence of heptadentate complexation of trivalentmore » europium is found in mixtures containing EuHL (aq) complexes at the same aqueous acidity. The denticity change observed for Eu 3+ suggests that complex protonation occurs on the pyridyl nitrogen. Formation of the CmHL (aq) complex is likely due to the protonation of an available carboxylate group because the carbonyl oxygen can maintain octadentate coordination through a rotation. The observed suppressed protonation of the pyridyl nitrogen in the curium complexes may be attributed to stronger trivalent actinide binding by DTTA-PyM. Density functional theory calculations indicate that added stabilization of the actinide complexes with DTTA-PyM may originate from π-back-bonding interactions between singly occupied 5f orbitals of Am 3+ and the pyridyl nitrogen. The differences between the stabilities of trivalent actinide chelates (Am 3+, Cm 3+) and trivalent lanthanide chelates (La 3+–Lu 3+) are observed in liquid–liquid extraction systems, yielding unprecedented 4f/5f differentiation when using DTTA-PyM as an aqueous holdback reagent. In addition, the enhanced nitrogen-donor softness of the new DTTA-PyM chelator was perturbed

  7. 75 FR 58400 - Donor Management Research: Improvements in Clinical Management of Deceased Organ Donors

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-24

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Health Resources and Services Administration Donor Management Research: Improvements in Clinical Management of Deceased Organ Donors AGENCY: Health Resources... their experiences and opinions regarding the importance of further study into donor management and its...

  8. Human decellularized bone scaffolds from aged donors show improved osteoinductive capacity compared to young donor bone

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Christopher A.; Board, Tim N.; Rooney, Paul; Eagle, Mark J.; Richardson, Stephen M.

    2017-01-01

    To improve the safe use of allograft bone, decellularization techniques may be utilized to produce acellular scaffolds. Such scaffolds should retain their innate biological and biomechanical capacity and support mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) osteogenic differentiation. However, as allograft bone is derived from a wide age-range, this study aimed to determine whether donor age impacts on the ability an osteoinductive, acellular scaffold produced from human bone to promote the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow MSCs (BM-MSC). BM-MSCs from young and old donors were seeded on acellular bone cubes from young and old donors undergoing osteoarthritis related hip surgery. All combinations resulted in increased osteogenic gene expression, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) enzyme activity, however BM-MSCs cultured on old donor bone displayed the largest increases. BM-MSCs cultured in old donor bone conditioned media also displayed higher osteogenic gene expression and ALP activity than those exposed to young donor bone conditioned media. ELISA and Luminex analysis of conditioned media demonstrated similar levels of bioactive factors between age groups; however, IGF binding protein 1 (IGFBP1) concentration was significantly higher in young donor samples. Additionally, structural analysis of old donor bone indicated an increased porosity compared to young donor bone. These results demonstrate the ability of a decellularized scaffold produced from young and old donors to support osteogenic differentiation of cells from young and old donors. Significantly, the older donor bone produced greater osteogenic differentiation which may be related to reduced IGFBP1 bioavailability and increased porosity, potentially explaining the excellent clinical results seen with the use of allograft from aged donors. PMID:28505164

  9. Factors associated with blood transfusion in donor hepatectomy: results from 2344 donors at a large single center.

    PubMed

    Choi, Seong-Soo; Cho, Seong-Sik; Kim, Sung-Hoon; Jun, In-Gu; Hwang, Gyu-Sam; Kim, Young-Kug

    2013-12-15

    The safety of healthy living donors undergoing hepatic resection for living-donor liver transplantation is of paramount concern. Although blood transfusions have been associated with morbidity and mortality after hepatectomy, there is limited information about the risk factors associated with blood transfusion in living liver donors. We retrospectively analyzed 2344 donors who underwent a hepatectomy for living-donor liver transplantation. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine blood transfusion predictors in living-donor hepatectomy. Of these donors, 48 (2.0%) and 97 (4.1%) were transfused with packed red blood cell (PRBC) and fresh-frozen plasma (FFP), respectively. The amount of PRBC and FFP administered to donors transfused with blood products were 1.9±0.8 and 3.7±2.5 units, respectively. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, a low preoperative hemoglobin level was found to be an independent predictor of PRBC transfusion in donor hepatectomy (odds ratio=0.585; 95% confidence interval=0.451-0.758; P<0.001). A high graft-to-donor weight ratio predicted an FFP transfusion in donor hepatectomy (odds ratio=2.997; 95% confidence interval=1.226-7.327; P=0.016). These results indicate that, in donor hepatectomy, the preoperative hemoglobin value and graft-to-donor weight ratio can provide useful information on the probability of PRBC and FFP transfusion, respectively.

  10. Development of Organ-Specific Donor Risk Indices

    PubMed Central

    Akkina, Sanjeev K.; Asrani, Sumeet K.; Peng, Yi; Stock, Peter; Kim, Ray; Israni, Ajay K.

    2012-01-01

    Due to the shortage of deceased donor organs, transplant centers accept organs from marginal deceased donors, including older donors. Organ-specific donor risk indices have been developed to predict graft survival using various combinations of donor and recipient characteristics. We will review the kidney donor risk index (KDRI) and liver donor risk index (LDRI) and compare and contrast their strengths, limitations, and potential uses. The Kidney Donor Risk Index has a potential role in developing new kidney allocation algorithms. The Liver Donor Risk Index allows for greater appreciation of the importance of donor factors, particularly for hepatitis C-positive recipients; as the donor risk index increases, rates of allograft and patient survival among these recipients decrease disproportionately. Use of livers with high donor risk index is associated with increased hospital costs independent of recipient risk factors, and transplanting livers with high donor risk index into patients with Model for End-Stage Liver Disease scores < 15 is associated with lower allograft survival; use of the Liver Donor Risk Index has limited this practice. Significant regional variation in donor quality, as measured by the Liver Donor Risk Index, remains in the United States. We also review other potential indices for liver transplant, including donor-recipient matching and the retransplant donor risk index. While substantial progress has been made in developing donor risk indices to objectively assess donor variables that affect transplant outcomes, continued efforts are warranted to improve these indices to enhance organ allocation policies and optimize allograft survival. PMID:22287036

  11. Early donor management increases the retrieval rate of hearts for transplantation in marginal donors.

    PubMed

    Abuanzeh, Razi; Hashmi, Faisal; Dimarakis, Ioannis; Khasati, Noman; Machaal, Ali; Yonan, Nizar; Venkateswaran, Rajamiyer V

    2015-01-01

    Organ donations continue to fall, failing to meet the clinical requirements for heart transplantation. Furthermore, the pathophysiology of brain stem death including hormonal and inflammatory changes may lead to significant donor heart injury. Early donor management may potentially alleviate these changes and therefore increase the number of available hearts for transplantation. We aimed to investigate whether early management of borderline donors can increase the heart retrieval rate. Between September 2011 and February 2013, we performed early donor management of 26 potential heart donors in the intensive care units of the respective donor hospitals. At the time of referral donors were considered as borderline based on high-dose inotrope requirements, history of hypertension and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Our management protocol included insertion of a pulmonary artery catheter and performance of cardiac output studies, weaning noradrenaline and commencing arginine vasopressin, and administration of tri-iodothyronine, methylprednisolone and insulin. Our primary end-point was donor heart acceptance, depending collectively on the results of cardiac output studies, cardiac contractility and coronary artery patency at the time of retrieval operation. We retrieved 14 (56%) borderline hearts after donor management (Group A) with a 30-day survival rate of 86%. Twelve (44%) organs were declined due to poor heart function (n=8; 66.7%; P<0.001) and/or palpable coronary artery disease (n=4; 33.3%; P=0.018) (Group B). The mean age of Groups A and B was 42.77 and 47.78 years, respectively (P=0.19). Most of the female donors, i.e. 10 (83%), were declined, and only 4 (27%) were accepted (P=0.005). Majority of patients in both groups (Group A: 71.4%; n=10; and Group B: 66.7%; n=8) were on high-dose noradrenaline (>0.08 μg kg(-1) min(-2)) at the time of donor offer. Group A had a mean cardiac output of 6.29 and 3.09 l/min for Group B (P=0.01). A positive smoking history was

  12. C–H arylation of unsubstituted furan and thiophene with acceptor bromides: access to donor–acceptor–donor-type building blocks for organic electronics.

    PubMed

    Matsidik, Rukiya; Martin, Johannes; Schmidt, Simon; Obermayer, Johannes; Lombeck, Florian; Nübling, Fritz; Komber, Hartmut; Fazzi, Daniele; Sommer, Michael

    2015-01-16

    Pd-catalyzed direct arylation (DA) reaction conditions have been established for unsubstituted furan (Fu) and thiophene (Th) with three popular acceptor building blocks to be used in materials for organic electronics, namely 4,7-dibromo-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (BTBr2), N,N′-dialkylated 2,6-dibromonaphthalene-1,4,5,8-bis(dicarboximide) (NDIBr2), and 1,4-dibromotetrafluorobenzene (F4Br2). Reactions with BTBr2, F4Br2, and NDIBr2 require different solvents to obtain high yields. The use of dimethylacetamide (DMAc) is essential for the successful coupling of BTBr2 and F4Br2, but detrimental for NDIBr2, as the electron-deficient NDI core is prone to nucleophilic core substitution in DMAc as solvent but not in toluene. NDIFu2 is much more planar compared to NDITh2, resulting in an enhanced charge-transfer character, which makes it an interesting building block for conjugated systems designed for organic electronics. This study highlights direct arylation as a simple and inexpensive method to construct a series of important donor–acceptor–donor building blocks to be further used for the preparation of a variety of conjugated materials.

  13. Differential effects of donor-specific HLA antibodies in living versus deceased donor transplant.

    PubMed

    Kamburova, E G; Wisse, B W; Joosten, I; Allebes, W A; van der Meer, A; Hilbrands, L B; Baas, M C; Spierings, E; Hack, C E; van Reekum, F E; van Zuilen, A D; Verhaar, M C; Bots, M L; Drop, A C A D; Plaisier, L; Seelen, M A J; Sanders, J S F; Hepkema, B G; Lambeck, A J A; Bungener, L B; Roozendaal, C; Tilanus, M G J; Voorter, C E; Wieten, L; van Duijnhoven, E M; Gelens, M; Christiaans, M H L; van Ittersum, F J; Nurmohamed, S A; Lardy, N M; Swelsen, W; van der Pant, K A; van der Weerd, N C; Ten Berge, I J M; Bemelman, F J; Hoitsma, A; van der Boog, P J M; de Fijter, J W; Betjes, M G H; Heidt, S; Roelen, D L; Claas, F H; Otten, H G

    2018-02-21

    The presence of donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSAs) is associated with increased risk of graft failure after kidney transplant. We hypothesized that DSAs against HLA class I, class II, or both classes indicate a different risk for graft loss between deceased and living donor transplant. In this study, we investigated the impact of pretransplant DSAs, by using single antigen bead assays, on long-term graft survival in 3237 deceased and 1487 living donor kidney transplants with a negative complement-dependent crossmatch. In living donor transplants, we found a limited effect on graft survival of DSAs against class I or II antigens after transplant. Class I and II DSAs combined resulted in decreased 10-year graft survival (84% to 75%). In contrast, after deceased donor transplant, patients with class I or class II DSAs had a 10-year graft survival of 59% and 60%, respectively, both significantly lower than the survival for patients without DSAs (76%). The combination of class I and II DSAs resulted in a 10-year survival of 54% in deceased donor transplants. In conclusion, class I and II DSAs are a clear risk factor for graft loss in deceased donor transplants, while in living donor transplants, class I and II DSAs seem to be associated with an increased risk for graft failure, but this could not be assessed due to their low prevalence. © 2018 The Authors. American Journal of Transplantation published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  14. The end of donor anonymity: how genetic testing is likely to drive anonymous gamete donation out of business.

    PubMed

    Harper, Joyce C; Kennett, Debbie; Reisel, Dan

    2016-06-01

    Thousands of people worldwide have been conceived using donor gametes, but not all parents tell their children of their origin. Several countries now allow donor-conceived offspring to potentially know their genetic parent if they are informed of their donor-conceived status. At the same time, personal genetic testing is a rapidly expanding field. Over 3 million people have already used direct-to-consumer genetic testing to find information about their ancestry, and many are participating in international genetic genealogy databases that will match them with relatives. The increased prevalence of these technologies poses numerous challenges to the current practice of gamete donation. (i) Whether they are donating in a country that practices anonymous donation or not, donors should be informed that their anonymity is not guaranteed, as they may be traced if their DNA, or that of a relative, is added to a database. (ii) Donor-conceived adults who have not been informed of their status may find out that they are donor-conceived. (iii) Parents using donor conception need to be fully informed that their children's DNA will identify that they are not the biological parents and they should be encouraged to disclose the use of donor gametes to their children. Together, these concerns make urgent a wide-ranging societal conversation about how to best safeguard and promote the interests of donor-conceived offspring and protect the rights of donors. Specifically, there is a need to ensure that new genetic information is communicated in a way that promotes both the safety and the privacy rights of offspring and donors alike. All parties concerned must be aware that, in 2016, donor anonymity does not exist. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Compliance with donor age recommendations in oocyte donor recruitment advertisements in the USA.

    PubMed

    Alberta, Hillary B; Berry, Roberta M; Levine, Aaron D

    2013-04-01

    IVF using donated oocytes offers benefits to many infertile patients, yet the technique also raises a number of ethical concerns, including worries about potential physical and psychological risks to oocyte donors. In the USA, oversight of oocyte donation consists of a combination of federal and state regulations and self-regulatory guidelines promulgated by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. This study assesses compliance with one of these self-regulatory guidelines - specifically, ASRM's preferred minimum age for donors of 21. To assess compliance, 539 oocyte donor recruitment advertisements from two recruitment channels (Craigslist and college newspapers) were collected and evaluated. Of these, 61% in the Craigslist dataset and 43% in the college newspaper dataset listed minimum ages between 18 and 20, which is inconsistent with ASRM's preferred minimum age recommendation of 21. Advertisements placed by oocyte donor recruitment agencies were more likely than advertisements placed by clinics to specify minimum ages between 18 and 20. These results indicate that ASRM should evaluate and consider revising its donor age guidelines. IVF using donated human eggs can help many patients who have difficulty having children. However, the technique also raises ethical concerns, including concerns about potential physical and psychological harms to egg donors. In the USA, oversight of egg donation relies on a combination of federal and state regulation and professional self-regulation. Governmental regulations address only limited aspects of egg donation, such as the potential spread of infectious diseases and the reporting of success rates, leaving voluntary guidelines developed by an association of medical professionals to address most issues, including ethical concerns raised by the practice. One of these voluntary guidelines recommends that egg donors should be at least 21 years of age. In this article, we analysed 539 egg donor recruitment advertisements

  16. Identification of the 2-Hydroxyglutarate and Isovaleryl-CoA Dehydrogenases as Alternative Electron Donors Linking Lysine Catabolism to the Electron Transport Chain of Arabidopsis Mitochondria[W][OA

    PubMed Central

    Araújo, Wagner L.; Ishizaki, Kimitsune; Nunes-Nesi, Adriano; Larson, Tony R.; Tohge, Takayuki; Krahnert, Ina; Witt, Sandra; Obata, Toshihiro; Schauer, Nicolas; Graham, Ian A.; Leaver, Christopher J.; Fernie, Alisdair R.

    2010-01-01

    The process of dark-induced senescence in plants is relatively poorly understood, but a functional electron-transfer flavoprotein/electron-transfer flavoprotein:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (ETF/ETFQO) complex, which supports respiration during carbon starvation, has recently been identified. Here, we studied the responses of Arabidopsis thaliana mutants deficient in the expression of isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase and 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase to extended darkness and other environmental stresses. Evaluations of the mutant phenotypes following carbon starvation induced by extended darkness identify similarities to those exhibited by mutants of the ETF/ETFQO complex. Metabolic profiling and isotope tracer experimentation revealed that isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase is involved in degradation of the branched-chain amino acids, phytol, and Lys, while 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase is involved exclusively in Lys degradation. These results suggest that isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase is the more critical for alternative respiration and that a series of enzymes, including 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase, plays a role in Lys degradation. Both physiological and metabolic phenotypes of the isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase and 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase mutants were not as severe as those observed for mutants of the ETF/ETFQO complex, indicating some functional redundancy of the enzymes within the process. Our results aid in the elucidation of the pathway of plant Lys catabolism and demonstrate that both isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase and 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase act as electron donors to the ubiquinol pool via an ETF/ETFQO-mediated route. PMID:20501910

  17. Sperm donor recruitment, attitudes and provider practices--5 years after the removal of donor anonymity.

    PubMed

    Shukla, U; Deval, B; Jansa Perez, M; Hamoda, H; Savvas, M; Narvekar, N

    2013-03-01

    Has the change in donor anonymity legislation in UK affected the recruitment of men wanting to be sperm donors and also affected the attitudes of the practitioners who provide donor sperm treatment? We have performed fewer IUI and IVF treatments using donor sperm following the change in legislation in April 2005 than before. However, we have seen an overall increase in men wanting to donate their sperm, including a small increase in men from ethnic minorities. Sweden, which removed donor anonymity in 1985, had an initial drop in men wanting to donate and then 10 years later started to have an increase. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) and other studies in the UK have shown an overall downward trend, but have not been able to compare large time scales either side of the change in legislation. This was a retrospective descriptive study that looked at all men who approached the clinic between the years 2000 and 2010, i.e. 5 years either side of the change in legislation (April 2005). Overall, we had 24 men wanting to be donors prior to the rule change and 65 men after the rule change. We also investigated the total number of all treatments with donor sperm, and this included a total of 1004 donor sperm treatments prior to the change in legislation and 403 donor sperm treatments after the change in legislation. The study was set in an NHS IVF clinic in South East London. We compared the indicators of service provision, provider practices and donor attitudes, in the period between April 2000 and March 2005 (Group A) with those between April 2005 and March 2010 (Group B), i.e. 5 years either side of the change in legislation. There were 875 IUI treatments and 129 IVF or ICSI treatments in Group A and 325 IUI and 78 IVF/ICSI treatments in Group B with the use of donor sperm, of which, 11.9% (119 out of 1004) in Group A and 39.5% (159 out of 403) in Group B were with donor sperm recruited by our unit. The clinical pregnancy rate per cycle of

  18. Donor-π-Acceptor Polymer with Alternating Triarylborane and Triphenylamine Moieties.

    PubMed

    Li, Haiyan; Jäkle, Frieder

    2010-05-12

    A luminescent main chain donor-π-acceptor-type polymer (4) was prepared via organometallic polycondensation reaction followed by post modification. With both electron-rich amine and electron-deficient borane moieties embedded in the main chain, 4 exhibits an interesting ambipolar character: it can be reduced and oxidized electrochemically at moderate potentials and shows a strong solvatochromic effect in the emission spectra. Complexation studies show that 4 selectively binds to fluoride and cyanide; quantitative titration with cyanide reveals a two-step binding process. Copyright © 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. The Psychosocial and Independent Living Donor Advocate Evaluation and Post-surgery Care of Living Donors.

    PubMed

    Rudow, Dianne LaPointe; Swartz, Kathleen; Phillips, Chelsea; Hollenberger, Jennifer; Smith, Taylor; Steel, Jennifer L

    2015-09-01

    Solid organ transplantation as a treatment for end stage organ failure has been an accepted treatment option for decades. Despite advances in medicine and technology, and increased awareness of organ donation and transplantation, the gap between supply and demand continues to widen. Living donation has been an option that has increased the number of transplants despite the continued shortage of deceased organs. In the early 2000s live donor transplantation reached an all-time high in the United States. As a result, a consensus meeting was convened in 2000 to increase the oversight of living donor transplantation. Both the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the United Network for Organ Sharing developed regulations that transplant programs performing live donor transplantation. These regulations and guidelines involve the education, evaluation, informed consent process and living donor follow-up care. Two areas in which had significant changes included the psychosocial and the independent living donor advocate (ILDA) evaluation. The purpose of this paper was to outline the current regulations and guidelines associated with the psychosocial and ILDA evaluation as well as provide further recommendations for the administration of a high quality evaluation of living donors. The goals and timing of the evaluation and education of donors; qualifications of the health care providers performing the evaluation; components of the evaluation; education provided to donors; documentation of the evaluation; participation in the selection committee meeting; post-decline and post-donation care of donors is described. Caveats including the paired donor exchange programs and non-directed and directed donation are also considered.

  20. Utilization of Deceased Donor Kidneys to Initiate Living Donor Chains.

    PubMed

    Melcher, M L; Roberts, J P; Leichtman, A B; Roth, A E; Rees, M A

    2016-05-01

    We propose that some deceased donor (DD) kidneys be allocated to initiate nonsimultaneous extended altruistic donor chains of living donor (LD) kidney transplants to address, in part, the huge disparity between patients on the DD kidney waitlist and available donors. The use of DD kidneys for this purpose would benefit waitlisted candidates in that most patients enrolled in kidney paired donation (KPD) systems are also waitlisted for a DD kidney transplant, and receiving a kidney through the mechanism of KPD will decrease pressure on the DD pool. In addition, a LD kidney usually provides survival potential equal or superior to that of DD kidneys. If KPD chains that are initiated by a DD can end in a donation of an LD kidney to a candidate on the DD waitlist, the quality of the kidney allocated to a waitlisted patient is likely to be improved. We hypothesize that a pilot program would show a positive impact on patients of all ethnicities and blood types. © Copyright 2016 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  1. Donor attention to reading materials.

    PubMed

    O'Brien, S F; Osmond, L; Choquet, K; Yi, Q-L; Goldman, M

    2015-11-01

    Mandatory predonation reading materials inform donors about risk factors for transmissible disease, possible complications of donation and changes to the donation process. We aimed to assess the attention to predonation reading materials and factors which may affect attention. A national survey in 2008 of 18,108 blood donors asked about self-assessed attention to reading the materials. In face-to-face interviews, 441 donors completed additional questions about reading the materials and a literacy test. Qualitative interviews of 27 donors assessed their approach to reading. In the national survey, most of the first-time donors said they read all or most of the materials (90.9% first-time vs. 57.6% repeat donors, P < 0.001) and 66% vs. 23.1% reported reading them carefully (P < 0.001). In face-to-face interviews comparing those who read materials carefully, skimmed or did not read, most knew that donors are informed of positive transmissible disease test results (97.1%, 95.5, 98.0 P > 0.05), but fewer recalled seeing the definition of sex (77.2%, 56.9, 24.2 P < 0.001). Literacy was poor (30.5% frustration level, 60.3% instructional, 9.2% independent) but similar when those who read materials carefully, skimmed or did not read were compared (P > 0.05). Qualitative interviews showed that donors are reluctant to read any more than necessary and decide based on perceived importance or relevance. Attention to predonation reading materials tends to be better among first-time donors. The effectiveness is limited by low motivation to read, especially for repeat donors, as well as poor literacy. © 2015 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

  2. Lung Transplantation From Donors After Previous Cardiac Surgery: Ideal Graft in Marginal Donor?

    PubMed

    Palleschi, A; Mendogni, P; Tosi, D; Montoli, M; Carrinola, R; Mariolo, A V; Briganti, F; Nosotti, M

    2017-05-01

    Lung transplantation is a limited by donor pool shortage. Despite the efforts to extend the graft acceptability with recurrent donor criteria reformulations, previous cardiothoracic surgery is still considered a contraindication. A donor who underwent cardiac surgery could potentially provide an ideal lung but high intraoperative risks and intrinsic technical challenges are expected during the graft harvesting. The purpose of this study is to present our dedicated protocol and four clinical cases of successful lung procurements from donors who had a previous major cardiac surgery. One donor had ascending aortic root (AAR) substitution, another had mitral valve substitution, and two had coronary artery bypass surgery. The others' eligibility criteria for organ allocation, such as ABO compatibility, PaO 2 /FiO 2 ratio, absence of aspiration, or sepsis were respected. In one of the cases with previous coronary bypass grafting, the donor had a veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support. Consequently, the grafts required an ex vivo lung perfusion evaluation. We report the technical details of procurement and postoperative courses of recipients. All procurements were uneventful, without lung damage or waste of abdominal organs related to catastrophic intraoperative events. All recipients had a successful clinical outcome. We believe that successful transplantation is achievable even in a complicated setting, such as cases involving donors with previous cardiac surgery frequently are. Facing lung donor shortage, we strongly support any effort to avoid the loss of possible acceptable lungs. In particular, previous major cardiac surgery does not strictly imply a poor quality of lungs as well as unsustainable graft procurement. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Isoindigo-Based Small Molecules with Varied Donor Components for Solution-Processable Organic Field Effect Transistor Devices.

    PubMed

    Patil, Hemlata; Chang, Jingjing; Gupta, Akhil; Bilic, Ante; Wu, Jishan; Sonar, Prashant; Bhosale, Sheshanath V

    2015-09-18

    Two solution-processable small organic molecules, (E)-6,6'-bis(4-(diphenylamino)phenyl)-1,1'-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-(3,3'-biindolinylidene)-2,2'-dione (coded as S10) and (E)-6,6'-di(9H-carbazol-9-yl)-1,1'-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-(3,3'-biindolinylidene)-2,2'-dione (coded as S11) were successfully designed, synthesized and fully characterized. S10 and S11 are based on a donor-acceptor-donor structural motif and contain a common electron accepting moiety, isoindigo, along with different electron donating functionalities, triphenylamine and carbazole, respectively. Ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra revealed that the use of triphenylamine donor functionality resulted in an enhanced intramolecular charge transfer transition and reduction of optical band gap, when compared with its carbazole analogue. Both of these materials were designed to be donor semiconducting components, exerted excellent solubility in common organic solvents, showed excellent thermal stability, and their promising optoelectronic properties encouraged us to scrutinize charge-carrier mobilities using solution-processable organic field effect transistors. Hole mobilities of the order of 2.2 × 10(-4) cm²/Vs and 7.8 × 10(-3) cm²/Vs were measured using S10 and S11 as active materials, respectively.

  4. Donor-acceptor cocrystal based on hexakis(alkoxy)triphenylene and perylenediimide derivatives with an ambipolar transporting property

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Su, Yajun; Li, Yan; Liu, Jiangang; Xing, Rubo; Han, Yanchun

    2015-01-01

    An organic donor-acceptor cocrystal with an ambipolar transporting property was constructed based on N,N'-bis(1-ethylpropyl)-perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (EP-PDI) and 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexakis-(hexyloxy)-triphenylene (H6TP). The cocrystal with an alternating stacking of H6TP and EP-PDI molecules was formed through both drop-casting and spin-coating processes, especially at the optimized ratios of H6TP/EP-PDI (2/1, 1/1). The formation of the cocrystal was driven by the strong π-π interaction and the weaker steric hindrance, resulting from the smaller side groups, between the donor and acceptor molecules. Field effect transistors (FETs) based on the H6TP/EP-PDI cocrystal exhibited relatively balanced hole/electron transport, with a hole mobility of 1.14 × 10-3 cm2 V-1 s-1 and an electron mobility of 1.40 × 10-3 cm2 V-1 s-1.An organic donor-acceptor cocrystal with an ambipolar transporting property was constructed based on N,N'-bis(1-ethylpropyl)-perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (EP-PDI) and 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexakis-(hexyloxy)-triphenylene (H6TP). The cocrystal with an alternating stacking of H6TP and EP-PDI molecules was formed through both drop-casting and spin-coating processes, especially at the optimized ratios of H6TP/EP-PDI (2/1, 1/1). The formation of the cocrystal was driven by the strong π-π interaction and the weaker steric hindrance, resulting from the smaller side groups, between the donor and acceptor molecules. Field effect transistors (FETs) based on the H6TP/EP-PDI cocrystal exhibited relatively balanced hole/electron transport, with a hole mobility of 1.14 × 10-3 cm2 V-1 s-1 and an electron mobility of 1.40 × 10-3 cm2 V-1 s-1. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr05915h

  5. Working with previously anonymous gamete donors and donor-conceived adults: recent practice experiences of running the DNA-based voluntary information exchange and contact register, UK DonorLink.

    PubMed

    Crawshaw, Marilyn; Gunter, Christine; Tidy, Christine; Atherton, Freda

    2013-03-01

    This article describes recent practice experiences with donor conceived adults, donors, non-donor-conceived adult children of donors using the voluntary DNA-based register, UK DonorLink. It highlights additional complexities faced when using DNA rather than paper records for searching, in particular from the risk of false positives, low chances of success and potential inclusion of biological parents' DNA. Professionals' experiences in supporting those being "linked" suggest challenges as well as rewards. Registration carries the potential to be therapeutic for donor-conceived adults and donors and to enhance their political awareness regardless of links being made. Registrants value both peer and professional support, providing the latter can respond flexibly and be delivered by staff experienced in intermediary work. Given that the majority of those affected by donor conception internationally come from anonymous donation systems, these findings are highly pertinent and argue the need for political and moral debate about such service provision.

  6. Quasiclassical description of the nearest-neighbor hopping dc conduction via hydrogen-like donors in intermediately compensated GaAs crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Poklonski, N. A.; Vyrko, S. A.; Zabrodskii, A. G.

    2010-08-01

    Expressions for the pre-exponential factor σ3 and the thermal activation energy ɛ3 of hopping electric conductivity of electrons via hydrogen-like donors in n-type gallium arsenide are obtained in the quasiclassical approximation. Crystals with the donor concentration N and the acceptor concentration KN at the intermediate compensation ratio K (approximately from 0.25 to 0.75) are considered. We assume that the donors in the charge states (0) and (+1) and the acceptors in the charge state (-1) form a joint nonstoichiometric simple cubic 'sublattice' within the crystalline matrix. In such sublattice the distance between nearest impurity atoms is Rh = [(1 + K)N]-1/3 which is also the length of an electron hop between donors. To take into account orientational disorder of hops we assume that the impurity sublattice randomly and smoothly changes orientation inside a macroscopic sample. Values of σ3(N) and ɛ3(N) calculated for the temperature of 2.5 K agree with known experimental data at the insulator side of the insulator-metal phase transition.

  7. Expanding the live kidney donor pool: ethical considerations regarding altruistic donors, paired and pooled programs.

    PubMed

    Patel, Shaneel Rajendra; Chadha, Priyanka; Papalois, Vassilios

    2011-06-01

    In renal transplant, there is a well-known deficiency in organ supply relative to demand. Live donation provides superior results when compared with deceased donation including a better rate of graft success and fewer immunologic complications. This deficiency in organs leads to significant morbidity and mortality rates. Alternative avenues have been extensively explored that may expand the live donor pool. They include altruistic donation as well as paired and pooled exchange programs. Altruistic donation is a truly selfless act from a donor unknown to the recipient. Kidney paired donation involves 2 incompatible donor-recipient pairs swapping donors to produce compatibility. Pooled donation involves at least 2 pairs, and can take the form of domino chains in which altruistic input sets up a chain of transplants, in which each recipient's incompatible donor makes a donation for the next recipient. Despite application of these various methods, there lie extensive ethical issues surrounding them. Misconceptions frequently occur; for instance, the perceived benefit that donating an organ to a loved one is greater for a related donor than for an altruistic one. Additionally, it is frequently believed that immunologic incompatibility offers coerced donors liberation from surgery, and that overcoming these barriers by introducing exchange programs provides vulnerable donors less protection. This article explores these and other complex ethical issues surrounding the various methods of expanding the donor pool. The authors offer opinions that challenge the ethical issues and attempt to overcome those views that hinder progress in the field.

  8. Histopathologic Findings of Cholecystectomy Specimens in Patients Who Underwent Donor Hepatectomy for Living Donor Liver Transplantation.

    PubMed

    Akbulut, S; Karagul, S; Ertugrul, I; Aydin, C; Yilmaz, M; Yilmaz, S

    2015-06-01

    The aim of this study was to discuss the macroscopic and microscopic properties of gallbladder specimens obtained from living liver donors. The study retrospectively analyzed the clinical and histopathological data of 1088 donors who underwent living donor hepatectomy between March 2005 and September 2014 at Inonu University Faculty of Medicine, Liver Transplantation Center. Age, sex, macroscopic, and microscopic properties of the gallbladder (bladder length, diameter, content, and histopathological properties) were recorded by 2 researchers. A total of 1009 donors aged 17 to 66 years (31.1 ± 9.5) met the inclusion criteria, whereas 79 donors were excluded due to missing data. In total, 587 donors were male (30.5 ± 9.1 years [16-63 years]) and 422 were female (31.8 ± 9.8 years [18-66 years]). Preoperative tests revealed Gilbert syndrome in 3 subjects, whereas other donors' biochemical tests were within normal ranges. The macroscopic examination of gallbladders revealed mean gallbladder wall thickness, length, and width of 1.82 ± 0.8 mm (1-10 mm), 72 ± 11.4 mm (40-120 mm), and 52.5 ± 14 mm (15-90 mm), respectively. The microscopic gallbladder examination showed that 740 donors had a normal gallbladder, 193 had chronic cholecystitis (1 donor had antral metaplasia and 1 had intestinal metaplasia), 40 had cholesterolosis (1 donor had both tubular adenoma and intestinal metaplasia), 15 had minimal chronic cholecystitis (1 donor had pyloric metaplasia), 14 had cholelithiasis, 2 had adenomyosis, 2 had muscular hypertrophy, 1 had papillary hyperplasia, 1 had microdiverticulitis, and 1 had mucosal lymphatic ectasia. The results of this study reflect the actual gallbladder pathologies that can be detected in healthy people. Clearer conclusions can be reached about the epidemiological data on gallbladder as the number of living liver donors increases in the future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Deceased donor liver transplantation from donors with central nervous system malignancy: Experience of the Inonu University.

    PubMed

    Ince, Volkan; Ersan, Veysel; Ozdemir, Fatih; Barut, Bora; Koc, Cemalettin; Isik, Burak; Kayaalp, Cuneyt; Yilmaz, Sezai

    2017-01-01

    Liver transplantation from deceased donors with a central nervous system (CNS) malignancy has some risk of tumor transmission to the recipient. Though the risk is small, this group of donors is regarded as marginal. The use of marginal grafts may be an acceptable alternative practice in order to expand the donor pool in countries where there is a shortage of donated organs. The aim of this study was to examine and present the outcomes of liver transplantations performed using donors with a CNS tumor. Between March 2002 and July 2017, 1990 (deceased donor: n=399, 20%; living donor: n=1591, 80%) liver transplantations were performed at the center. Of the 399 deceased donors, 17 (4.2%) had a CNS tumor. The data of donors with a CNS tumor and of recipients who survived for more than 1 month (n=11) were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic data, the grade of the CNS tumor, tumor transmission to recipient data, and survival rates were analyzed. Only 2 (18%) grafts were provided locally, 6 (54%) were offered to the transplantation center after all of the national centers had declined them, and 3 (37%) were made available to us by the national coordination center for patients with a documented notification of urgency. High-grade (grade III-IV) brain tumors were detected in 7 (64%) donors, while low-grade (grade I-II) tumors were found in 2 patients. The remaining 2 donors were not pathologically graded because the diagnosis was made radiologically. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall and tumor-free survival of the patients was estimated at 100%, 70%, and 45%, respectively. A median survival of 40 months (range: 13-62 months) was achieved in recipients of grafts from a donor with a CNS tumor and no donor-related malignant transformation was observed.

  10. Deceased donor liver transplantation from donors with central nervous system malignancy: Experience of the Inonu University

    PubMed Central

    Ince, Volkan; Ersan, Veysel; Ozdemir, Fatih; Barut, Bora; Koc, Cemalettin; Isik, Burak; Kayaalp, Cuneyt; Yilmaz, Sezai

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Liver transplantation from deceased donors with a central nervous system (CNS) malignancy has some risk of tumor transmission to the recipient. Though the risk is small, this group of donors is regarded as marginal. The use of marginal grafts may be an acceptable alternative practice in order to expand the donor pool in countries where there is a shortage of donated organs. The aim of this study was to examine and present the outcomes of liver transplantations performed using donors with a CNS tumor. METHODS: Between March 2002 and July 2017, 1990 (deceased donor: n=399, 20%; living donor: n=1591, 80%) liver transplantations were performed at the center. Of the 399 deceased donors, 17 (4.2%) had a CNS tumor. The data of donors with a CNS tumor and of recipients who survived for more than 1 month (n=11) were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic data, the grade of the CNS tumor, tumor transmission to recipient data, and survival rates were analyzed. RESULTS: Only 2 (18%) grafts were provided locally, 6 (54%) were offered to the transplantation center after all of the national centers had declined them, and 3 (37%) were made available to us by the national coordination center for patients with a documented notification of urgency. High-grade (grade III-IV) brain tumors were detected in 7 (64%) donors, while low-grade (grade I-II) tumors were found in 2 patients. The remaining 2 donors were not pathologically graded because the diagnosis was made radiologically. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall and tumor-free survival of the patients was estimated at 100%, 70%, and 45%, respectively. CONCLUSION: A median survival of 40 months (range: 13-62 months) was achieved in recipients of grafts from a donor with a CNS tumor and no donor-related malignant transformation was observed. PMID:29270568

  11. Gamete donors' reasons for, and expectations and experiences of, registration with a voluntary donor linking register.

    PubMed

    Blyth, Eric; Crawshaw, Marilyn; Frith, Lucy; van den Akker, Olga

    2017-12-01

    This paper reports on a study of the views and experiences of 21 sperm donors and five egg donors registered with UK DonorLink (UKDL), a voluntary DNA-based contact register established to facilitate contact between adults who wish to identify and locate others to whom they are genetically related following donor conception. Specifically, the paper examines donors' reasons for searching for, or making information about themselves available to donor-conceived offspring. Their expectations of registration with UKDL, experiences of being registered and finally, the experiences of those who had contacted donor-conceived offspring and other genetic relatives are investigated. While most respondents reported largely positive experiences of registration, the study found significant issues relating to concerns about donation, DNA testing, possible linking with offspring and expectations of any relationship that might be established with offspring that have implications for support, mediation and counselling. Research that puts the experiences, perceptions and interests of gamete donors as the central focus of study is a relatively recent phenomenon. This study contributes to this debate and highlights directions for future research in this area.

  12. Gamete donors' satisfaction; gender differences and similarities among oocyte and sperm donors in a national sample

    PubMed Central

    Svanberg, Agneta Skoog; Lampic, Claudia; Gejerwall, Ann-Louise; Gudmundsson, Johannes; Karlström, Per-olof; Solensten, Nils-Gunnar; Sydsjö, Gunilla

    2013-01-01

    ObjectiveTo explore oocyte and sperm donors' emotional stress, experiences of care and satisfaction after donation. DesignProspective multicenter study. SettingsAll fertility clinics performing gamete donation in Sweden during the period 2005 to 2008. PopulationOf 220 eligible oocyte donors who were approached, 181 agreed to complete the first questionnaire and 165 completed the second questionnaire 2 months after oocyte donation. Of 156 eligible sperm donors 119 accepted to complete the first questionnaire before donation. Eighty-nine participants completed the second questionnaire 2 months after sperm donation. MethodsStandardized and study-specific questionnaires. Main outcome measuresSatisfaction with the donation, respondents' mental health and overall care. ResultsA larger percentage of sperm donors (97.8%) were satisfied with their overall experience of being a donor than oocyte donors (85.9%, p = 0.003). Some oocyte and sperm donors did not receive sufficient information about practical issues (9.1% and 13.5%, respectively) and future consequences (12.8% and 3.4%, respectively, p = 0.014). The donors' symptoms of anxiety and depression did not show any differences in relation to negative or positive perceptions of satisfaction. The donors who did not indicate ambivalence before treatment were on average almost five times more satisfied compared with those who did indicate ambivalence (odds ratio 4.71; 95% CI 1.34–16.51). ConclusionsMost donors were satisfied with their contribution after the donation. Oocyte and sperm donors who expressed ambivalence before donation were less satisfied after donation. In vitro fertilization staff fulfilled most of the donors' needs for information and care. Please cite this article as: Skoog Svanberg A, Lampic C, Gejerwall A-L, Gudmundsson J, Karlström P-O, Solensten N-G, Sydsjö G. Gamete donors’ satisfaction; gender differences and similarities among oocyte and sperm donors in a national sample. Acta

  13. Smart near-infrared fluorescence probes with donor-acceptor structure for in vivo detection of β-amyloid deposits.

    PubMed

    Cui, Mengchao; Ono, Masahiro; Watanabe, Hiroyuki; Kimura, Hiroyuki; Liu, Boli; Saji, Hideo

    2014-03-05

    The deposition of β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques in the parenchymal and cortical brain is accepted as the main pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, early detection of AD still presents a challenge. With the assistance of molecular imaging techniques, imaging agents specifically targeting Aβ plaques in the brain may lead to the early diagnosis of AD. Herein, we report the design, synthesis, and evaluation of a series of smart near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging probes with donor-acceptor architecture bridged by a conjugated π-electron chain for Aβ plaques. The chemical structure of these NIRF probes is completely different from Congo Red and Thioflavin-T. Probes with a longer conjugated π system (carbon-carbon double bond) displayed maximum emission in PBS (>650 nm), which falls in the best range for NIRF probes. These probes were proved to have affinity to Aβ plaques in fluorescent staining of brain sections from an AD patient and double transgenic mice, as well as in an in vitro binding assay using Aβ(1-42) aggregates. One probe with high affinity (K(i) = 37 nM, K(d) = 27 nM) was selected for in vivo imaging. It can penetrate the blood-brain barrier of nude mice efficiently and is quickly washed out of the normal brain. Moreover, after intravenous injection of this probe, 22-month-old APPswe/PSEN1 mice exhibited a higher relative signal than control mice over the same period of time, and ex vivo fluorescent observations confirmed the existence of Aβ plaques. In summary, this probe meets most of the requirements for a NIRF contrast agent for the detection of Aβ plaques both in vitro and in vivo.

  14. Extracellular Electron Uptake: Among Autotrophs and Mediated by Surfaces.

    PubMed

    Tremblay, Pier-Luc; Angenent, Largus T; Zhang, Tian

    2017-04-01

    Autotrophic microbes can acquire electrons from solid donors such as steel, other microbial cells, or electrodes. Based on this feature, bioprocesses are being developed for the microbial electrosynthesis (MES) of useful products from the greenhouse gas CO 2 . Extracellular electron-transfer mechanisms involved in the acquisition of electrons from metals by electrical microbially influenced corrosion (EMIC), from other living cells by interspecies electron transfer (IET), or from an electrode during MES rely on: (i) mediators such as H 2 ; (ii) physical contact through electron-transfer proteins; or (iii) mediator-generating enzymes detached from cells. This review explores the interactions of autotrophs with solid electron donors and their importance in nature and for biosustainable technologies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Impact of Donor Source on the Outcome of Live Donor Kidney Transplantation: A Single Center Experience

    PubMed Central

    Matter, Yasser Elsayed; Nagib, Ayman M; Lotfy, Omar E; Alsayed, Ahmed Maher; Donia, Ahmed F; Refaie, Ayman F; Akl, Ahmed I; Abbas, Mohamed Hamed; Abuelmagd, Mohammed M; Shaeashaa, Hussein A; Shokeir, Ahmed A

    2016-01-01

    Background Renal transplantation is the ideal method for management of end-stage renal disease. The use of living donors for renal transplantation was critical for early development in the field and preceded the use of cadaveric donors. Most donors are related genetically to the recipients, like a parent, a child, or a sibling of the recipient, but there are an increasing percentage of cases where donors are genetically unrelated like spouses, friends, or altruistic individuals. Donor shortages constitute the major barrier for kidney transplantation, and much effort has been made to increase the supply of living donors. The impact of donor source on the outcome of renal transplantation is not adequately studied in our country. Objectives The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of donor source on the outcome of live donor kidney transplantation. Patients and Methods From March 1976 to December 2013, the number of patients that underwent living renal transplantation sharing at least one HLA haplotype with their donors was 2,485. We divided these patients into two groups: (1) 2,075 kidney transplant recipients (1,554 or 74.9% male and 521 or 25.1% female) for whom the donors were living related, (2) 410 kidney transplant recipients (297 or 72.4% male and 113 or 27.6% female) for whom the donors were living unrelated. All patients received immunosuppressive therapy, consisting of a calcineurin inhibitor, mycophenolate mofetil, or azathioprine and prednisolone. We compared acute rejection and complication rates, as well as long-term graft and patient survival of both groups. Demographic characteristics were compared using the chi-square test. Graft survival and patient survival were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results The percentages of patients with acute vascular rejection were significantly higher in the unrelated group, while percentages of patients with no rejection were significantly higher in the related group, but there were no significant

  16. Seroprevalence of Hepatitis E Virus infection among volunteer blood donors in central province of Iran in 2012

    PubMed Central

    Ehteram, Hassan; Ramezani, Amitis; Eslamifar, Ali; Sofian, Masoomeh; Banifazl, Mohammad; Ghassemi, Shahin; Aghakhani, Arezoo; Mashayekhi, Parisa

    2013-01-01

    Background and Objectives Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major public health concern in developing countries. HEV transmission occurs primarily by the fecal-oral route. It has also been reported that blood donors are potentially able to cause transfusion-associated hepatitis E in endemic areas. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of HEV infection among volunteer blood donors in Central province of Iran in 2012. Material and Methods A total of 530 consecutive blood donor samples collected from Blood Transfusion Organization, Central Province of Iran. All samples were tested for the presence of IgG Hepatitis E antibody (anti-HEV) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results From 530 blood donors, 91.9% were male and 8.1% were female. Overall, anti-HEV was found in 76 of 530 samples (14.3%). There was no significant difference in HEV seropositivity between the subjects regarding gender and area of residence (urban vs. rural). Anti-HEV was distributed among all age groups. Although people aged 31-50 years had the highest prevalence, but there was no statistical difference between the age groups. Conclusion This study shows a relatively high prevalence of anti-HEV in the blood donors of Central province of Iran. More investigations are needed to assess the potential benefit of adding HEV screening of blood products to the current blood donor selection criteria. PMID:23825737

  17. Polyfluorophore Excimers and Exciplexes as FRET Donors in DNA

    PubMed Central

    Teo, Yin Nah; Kool, Eric T.

    2009-01-01

    We describe studies aimed at testing whether oligomeric exciplex- and excimer fluorophores conjugated to DNA have the potential to act as donors for energy transfer by the Förster mechanism. Oligodeoxyfluorosides (ODFs) are composed of stacked, electronically interacting fluorophores replacing the bases on a DNA scaffold. The monomer chromophores in the twenty tetramer-length ODFs studied here include pyrene (Y), benzopyrene (B), perylene (E), dimethylaminostilbene (D), and a nonfluorescent spacer (S); these are conjugated in varied combinations at the 3’ end of a 14mer DNA probe sequence. In the absence of an acceptor chromophore, many of the ODF-DNAs show broad, unstructured long-wavelength emission peaks characteristic of excimer and exciplex excited states, similar to what has been observed for unconjugated ODFs. Although such delocalized excited states have been widely studied, we know of no prior report of their use in FRET. We tested the ability of the twenty ODFs to donate energy to Cy5 and TAMRA dyes conjugated to a complementary strand of DNA, with these acceptors oriented either at the near or far end of the ODF-conjugated probes. Results showed that a number of the ODF fluorophores exhibited relatively efficient energy transfer characteristic of the Förster mechanism, as judged by drops in donor emission quantum yield and fluorescence lifetime, accompanied by increases in intensity of acceptor emission bands. Excimer/exciplex bands in the donors were selectively quenched while shorter-wavelength monomer emission stayed relatively constant, consistent with the notion that the delocalized excited states, rather than individual fluorophores, are the donors. Interestingly, only specific sequences of ODFs were able to act as donors, while others did not, even though their emission wavelengths were similar. The new FRET donors possess large Stokes shifts, which can be beneficial for multiple applications. In addition, all ODFs can be excited at a single

  18. Donor and double-donor transitions of the carbon vacancy related EH{sub 6∕7} deep level in 4H-SiC

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Booker, I. D., E-mail: ianbo@ifm.liu.se; Janzén, E., E-mail: erija@ifm.liu.se; Son, N. T.

    Using medium- and high-resolution multi-spectra fitting of deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), minority carrier transient spectroscopy (MCTS), optical O-DLTS and optical-electrical (OE)-MCTS measurements, we show that the EH{sub 6∕7} deep level in 4H-SiC is composed of two strongly overlapping, two electron emission processes with thermal activation energies of 1.49 eV and 1.58 eV for EH{sub 6} and 1.48 eV and 1.66 eV for EH{sub 7}. The electron emission peaks of EH{sub 7} completely overlap while the emission peaks of EH{sub 6} occur offset at slightly different temperatures in the spectra. OE-MCTS measurements of the hole capture cross section σ{sub p0}(T) in p-type samples revealmore » a trap-Auger process, whereby hole capture into the defect occupied by two electrons leads to a recombination event and the ejection of the second electron into the conduction band. Values of the hole and electron capture cross sections σ{sub n}(T) and σ{sub p}(T) differ strongly due to the donor like nature of the deep levels and while all σ{sub n}(T) have a negative temperature dependence, the σ{sub p}(T) appear to be temperature independent. Average values at the DLTS measurement temperature (∼600 K) are σ{sub n2+}(T) ≈ 1 × 10{sup −14} cm{sup 2}, σ{sub n+}(T) ≈ 1 × 10{sup −14} cm{sup 2}, and σ{sub p0}(T) ≈ 9 × 10{sup −18} cm{sup 2} for EH{sub 6} and σ{sub n2+}(T) ≈ 2 × 10{sup −14} cm{sup 2}, σ{sub n+}(T) ≈ 2 × 10{sup −14} cm{sup 2}, σ{sub p0}(T) ≈ 1 × 10{sup −20} cm{sup 2} for EH{sub 7}. Since EH{sub 7} has already been identified as a donor transition of the carbon vacancy, we propose that the EH{sub 6∕7} center in total represents the overlapping first and second donor transitions of the carbon vacancy defects on both inequivalent lattice sites.« less

  19. Impact of Graft Selection on Donor and Recipient Outcomes After Living Donor Liver Transplantation.

    PubMed

    Braun, Hillary J; Dodge, Jennifer L; Roll, Garrett R; Freise, Chris E; Ascher, Nancy L; Roberts, John P

    2016-06-01

    Balancing donor and recipient risks in living donor liver transplantation remains an issue of debate. This study assessed the impact of graft selection on outcomes and complications for left lobe (LL) versus right lobe (RL) donors and recipients. The medical records of donors and recipients, who underwent living donor liver transplantation at our institution between 2003 and 2015, were reviewed. For donors, we evaluated graft volume, residual liver volume per standard liver volume, length of hospital stay (LOS), complications, and readmissions. For recipients, we looked at graft and patient survival, graft function at postoperative days 7 and 14, graft volume, LOS, biliary complications, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease at transplant, and hepatitis C virus status. At 5 years posttransplant, there were no significant differences in graft survival for LL recipients (86% [95% confidence interval, 74-93]) compared with 82% (95% confidence interval, 69-89) for RL recipients (P = 0.85) or recipient survival (90% vs 84%; P = 0.44). In LL recipients, postoperative days 7 and 14 median international normalized ratio (1.5 and 1.2, respectively) and total bilirubin (4.6 and 2.7) were significantly greater compared with RL recipients (7 and 14 days international normalized ratio [1.2, P < 0.001; 1.1, P = 0.001] and total bilirubin (2.7, P = 0.001; 2.1, P = 0.05)). The LL recipients also had a significantly greater median LOS (14 vs 10, P = 0.008). Median donor LOS was significantly greater for RL donors (7 [interquartile range, 7-8] vs 7 [interquartile range, 6-7] days, P < 0.001). The RL and LL grafts provide comparable long-term outcomes in properly selected donor-recipient pairs and the appropriate use of LL grafts does not impact graft or patient survival at 5 years posttransplant.

  20. Being a haematopoietic stem cell donor for a sick sibling: Adult donors' experiences prior to donation.

    PubMed

    Kisch, Annika; Bolmsjö, Ingrid; Lenhoff, Stig; Bengtsson, Mariette

    2015-10-01

    There is a lack of knowledge about sibling stem cell donors' experiences pre-donation and the waiting period before the donation might have been long. The donors and their corresponding sibling recipients were simultaneously included in two different interview studies. The results from the recipient study have been presented in a separate paper. The aim was to explore the experiences of being a stem cell donor for a sibling, prior to donation. Ten adult sibling donors were interviewed prior to stem cell donation. The interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and subjected to qualitative content analysis. The main theme Being a cog in a big wheel describes the complex process of being a sibling donor prior to donation, covering a mixture of emotions and thoughts. The four subthemes Being available, Being anxious, Being concerned and Being obliged cover the various experiences. The sibling donors' experiences are influenced by the quality of the relationship with the sick sibling. Sibling stem cell donors go through a complex process once they have accidentally got involved in. They have been asked to become a donor; it was not a voluntary choice. In caring for sibling stem cell donors the nurses should be aware of the complexity of the process they experience and take into consideration their personal situation and needs. Providing optimal care for both sibling donors and their corresponding recipients is a challenge, and further improvement and exploration are needed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Development of organ-specific donor risk indices.

    PubMed

    Akkina, Sanjeev K; Asrani, Sumeet K; Peng, Yi; Stock, Peter; Kim, W Ray; Israni, Ajay K

    2012-04-01

    Because of the shortage of deceased donor organs, transplant centers accept organs from marginal deceased donors, including older donors. Organ-specific donor risk indices have been developed to predict graft survival with various combinations of donor and recipient characteristics. Here we review the kidney donor risk index (KDRI) and the liver donor risk index (LDRI) and compare and contrast their strengths, limitations, and potential uses. The KDRI has a potential role in developing new kidney allocation algorithms. The LDRI allows a greater appreciation of the importance of donor factors, particularly for hepatitis C virus-positive recipients; as the donor risk index increases, the rates of allograft and patient survival among these recipients decrease disproportionately. The use of livers with high donor risk indices is associated with increased hospital costs that are independent of recipient risk factors, and the transplantation of livers with high donor risk indices into patients with Model for End-Stage Liver Disease scores < 15 is associated with lower allograft survival; the use of the LDRI has limited this practice. Significant regional variations in donor quality, as measured by the LDRI, remain in the United States. We also review other potential indices for liver transplantation, including donor-recipient matching and the retransplant donor risk index. Although substantial progress has been made in developing donor risk indices to objectively assess donor variables that affect transplant outcomes, continued efforts are warranted to improve these indices to enhance organ allocation policies and optimize allograft survival. Copyright © 2012 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

  2. Results of liver transplantation from old donors.

    PubMed

    Dudek, K; Kornasiewicz, O; Remiszewski, P; Zieniewicz, K; Wróblewski, T; Krawczyk, M

    2014-10-01

    Faced with a shortage of organs for liver transplantation, the use of grafts from older donors is justified. However, there remains little consensus on how this use impacts the graft and patient outcomes after transplantation from these older donors. The aim of the present analysis was to assess the graft and patient outcomes after liver transplantation from deceased donors >60 years of age. From January 2007 to January 2011, 505 subjects were identified as liver graft donors after brain death, of which 7.35% were ≥60. To determine the effect of donor age on graft and patient outcomes, we analyzed donor age, recipient age, the Model for End-State Liver Disease (MELD) score of recipients at the time of transplantation, early posttransplant complications, and mortality. The posttransplant follow-up was 29 ± 25.5 months, and 3-year patient mortality from donors, grouped according to age, was 7.92% with donors <30; 15.78% with donors 30-50, 10.68% with donors 50-60, and 12.50% with donors >60. After analysis of patient and graft survival based on donor graft age, 3-year patient survival according donor age was 89.29% with donors <30, 83.85% with donors 30-50, 89.89% with donors 50-60, and 87.50% with donors >60. Analysis showed overall patient and graft survival rates from older donors were not worse than those from younger donors (P > .1). Among the cases, 3-year patient survival according to MELD score was 91.19% with a MELD of I, 85.37% with a MELD of II, and 67.67% with a MELD of III; differences in graft and patient survival when comparing low MELD I and high MELD III were significantly different (P < .01). A more advanced age of a donor should not be a contraindication for liver transplantation. The present analysis shows that liver grafts from donors >60 can be used safely in older recipients who presented with relatively low MELD scores. Analyses also indicate that high MELD obtained before transplantation may be an important prognostic factor for graft and

  3. Density functional theory design D-D-A type small molecule with 1.03 eV narrow band gap: effect of electron donor unit for organic photovoltaic solar cell

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sıdır, İsa

    2017-10-01

    Six new low-band-gap copolymers of donor-donor-acceptor (D-D-A) architecture have been designed using density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory methods in order to use them in organic photovoltaic cell (OPVC). Phenanthro[3,4-d:9,10-d‧]bis([1,2,3]thiadiazole)-10,12-dicarbonitrile moiety has been used as an acceptor for all compounds. We insert benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b‧]dithiophene and N,N-diphenylbenzo[1,2-b:4,5-b‧]dithiophen-2-amine units as donor to complete designing of copolymers. In order to tuning the optical and electronic properties, we have modified the donor unit by substituted with amine, methoxyamine, N-methylenethiophen-2-amine, methoxy, alkoxy moieties. The band gap (Eg), HOMO and LUMO values and plots, open circuit voltage (VOC) as well as optical properties have been analysed for designed copolymers. The optimised copolymers exhibit low-band-gap lying in the range of 1.03-2.24 eV. DPTD-6 copolymer presents the optimal properties to be used as an active layer due to its low Eg (1.03 eV) and a moderate VOC (0.56 eV). Thus, OPVC based on this copolymer in bulk-heterojunction composites with [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) as an acceptor has been modelled. Eg and VOC values of composite material DPTD-6:PCBM are found as 1.32 and 0.65 eV, respectively. A model band diagram has been established for OPVC, simulating the energy transfer between active layers.

  4. Donor conversion and procurement failure: the fate of our potential organ donors.

    PubMed

    Branco, Bernardino C; Inaba, Kenji; Lam, Lydia; Salim, Ali; Barmparas, Galinos; Teixeira, Pedro G R; Talving, Peep; Demetriades, Demetrios

    2011-02-01

    Donor availability remains the primary limiting factor for organ transplantation today. The purpose of this study was to examine the causes of procurement failure amongst potential organ donors. After Institutional Review Board approval, all surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patients admitted to the LAC+USC Medical Center from 01/2006 to 12/2008 who became potential organ donors were identified. Demographics, clinical data, and procurement data were abstracted. In non-donors, the causes of procurement failure were documented. During the 3-year study period, a total of 254 patients were evaluated for organ donation. Mean age was 44.8±18.7 years; 191 (75.2%) were male, 136 (53.5%) were Hispanic, and 148 (58.3%) were trauma patients. Of the 254 patients, 116 (45.7%) were not eligible for donation: 34 had multi-system organ failure, 24 did not progress to brain death and had support withdrawn, 18 had uncontrolled sepsis, 15 had malignancy, 6 had human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis B or C, and 19 patients had other contraindications to organ donation. Of the remaining 138 eligible patients, 83 (60.2%) did not donate: 56 because the family denied consent, 9 by their own choice. In six, next of kin could not be located, five died because of hemodynamic instability before organ procurement was possible, four had organs that could not be placed, and three had their organs declined by the organ procurement organization. The overall consent rate was 57.5% (n=67). From the 55 donors, 255 organs were procured (yield 4.6 organs/donor). Of all patients screened for organ donation, only a fifth actually donated. Denial of consent was the major potentially preventable cause of procurement failure, whereas hemodynamic instability accounted for only a small percentage of donor losses. With such low conversion rates, the preventable causes of procurement failure warrant further study.

  5. The personality and motivation of semen donors: a comparison with oocyte donors.

    PubMed

    Schover, L R; Rothmann, S A; Collins, R L

    1992-04-01

    Seventeen consecutively recruited candidates for semen donation were evaluated by a psychologist with testing and a structured interview. Most men (71%) were motivated by financial compensation. Only 29% would donate semen if records were open to potential offspring. Fifty-nine per cent of the men were rated as excellent candidates from a psychological perspective and 35% were rated as acceptable with slight reservations. One was excluded as a donor. Psychological testing revealed mildly abnormal subscale scores for 35% of donors. Forty-seven per cent had histories of minor depressive or anxiety episodes and 35% had had periods of heavy alcohol use. Compared to oocyte donors at the same institution, the men were less altruistic, more affluent, and more likely to have abused alcohol. Women had more traumatic family and reproductive histories. Psychological evaluation can be a valuable tool in gamete donor selection.

  6. Achieving donor repetition and motivation by block leaders among current blood donors.

    PubMed

    Martín-Santana, Josefa D; Beerli-Palacio, Asunción

    2012-12-01

    This paper presents an explicative model on the recommendation of donating blood made to relatives and friends by current donors. This model establishes satisfaction and intention to return as direct antecedents, and the quality perceived in the donation process and the existence of inhibitors as indirect antecedents. The results show that (1) the perceived quality has a positive influence on satisfaction and intention to return; (2) the intention to donate again depends positively on satisfaction, but negatively on the existence of internal and external inhibitors; and lastly (3) the recommendation to donate depends on donor satisfaction and their intention to return to donate, this being the most influential factor. At the same time, we contrasted how the model does not vary, whether it is a first-time donor or a repeat donor. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Non-donors' attitudes towards sperm donation and their willingness to donate.

    PubMed

    Provoost, Veerle; Van Rompuy, Florence; Pennings, Guido

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this article is to study attitudes about sperm donation and willingness to donate sperm in students who have never shown an interest in sperm donation. The method used in this study is an electronic survey of 1012 male students. Only one third of the respondents (34.3%) would consider donating sperm. Overall, 85.7% indicated a positive attitude towards sperm donation while 14.3% indicated a neutral or negative attitude. The highest scored barriers to donating were the lack of practical information and the fear that the partner would not agree. Almost 40% of the respondents feared that the donation might have a negative impact on their current or future relationship. The majority (83.6%) of those who considered donating thought donors should receive a financial compensation. Money was also one of the main motivators. About 85% of the students thought positively about sperm donation but several factors such as perceived negative views by the social environment, especially the partner, may deter students from donating. This study indicates that the effect of strong incentives, for instance in monetary terms, on a donor pool consisting of students could be limited and that relational factors and donor's perceptions of the views of the wider social network should be taken into account when recruiting donors.

  8. Extended Hubbard model for mesoscopic transport in donor arrays in silicon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Le, Nguyen H.; Fisher, Andrew J.; Ginossar, Eran

    2017-12-01

    Arrays of dopants in silicon are promising platforms for the quantum simulation of the Fermi-Hubbard model. We show that the simplest model with only on-site interaction is insufficient to describe the physics of an array of phosphorous donors in silicon due to the strong intersite interaction in the system. We also study the resonant tunneling transport in the array at low temperature as a mean of probing the features of the Hubbard physics, such as the Hubbard bands and the Mott gap. Two mechanisms of localization which suppresses transport in the array are investigated: The first arises from the electron-ion core attraction and is significant at low filling; the second is due to the sharp oscillation in the tunnel coupling caused by the intervalley interference of the donor electron's wave function. This disorder in the tunnel coupling leads to a steep exponential decay of conductance with channel length in one-dimensional arrays, but its effect is less prominent in two-dimensional ones. Hence, it is possible to observe resonant tunneling transport in a relatively large array in two dimensions.

  9. Philanthropic Motivations of Community College Donors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carter, Linnie S.; Duggan, Molly H.

    2011-01-01

    This descriptive study surveyed current, lapsed, and major gift donors to explore the impact of college communications on donors' decisions to contribute to the college, the likelihood of donor financial support for various college projects, and the philanthropic motivation profiles of the donors of a midsized, multicampus community college in…

  10. Fear, fascination and the sperm donor as 'abjection' in interviews with heterosexual recipients of donor insemination.

    PubMed

    Burr, Jennifer

    2009-07-01

    The background to this article is the medical regulation of sperm donation in the UK and the recent policy change so that children born from sperm, eggs or embryos donated after April 2005 have the right to know their donor's identity. I draw upon data from interviews with ten women and seven joint interviews with couples who received donor insemination from an anonymous sperm donor and were the parents of donor insemination children. I explore the symbolic presence of the donor and his potential to disrupt social and physical boundaries using the theoretical conceptions of boundaries and pollution as articulated by Mary Douglas and Julia Kristeva. I present data to argue that the anonymous donor manifests in various figures; the shadowy and ambiguous figure of 'another man'; the intelligent medical student; the donor as a family man, with children of his own who wants to help infertile men father children. In addition participants perceive the donor's physical characteristics, but also see their husband's physical characteristics, in their children. In conclusion I argue that anonymisation preserves features of conventional family life, maintains the idea of exclusivity within the heterosexual relationship and affirms the legal father's insecurity about his infertility.

  11. High-Efficiency Nonfullerene Polymer Solar Cell Enabling by Integration of Film-Morphology Optimization, Donor Selection, and Interfacial Engineering.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xin; Li, Weiping; Yao, Jiannian; Zhan, Chuanlang

    2016-06-22

    Carrier mobility is a vital factor determining the electrical performance of organic solar cells. In this paper we report that a high-efficiency nonfullerene organic solar cell (NF-OSC) with a power conversion efficiency of 6.94 ± 0.27% was obtained by optimizing the hole and electron transportations via following judicious selection of polymer donor and engineering of film-morphology and cathode interlayers: (1) a combination of solvent annealing and solvent vapor annealing optimizes the film morphology and hence both hole and electron mobilities, leading to a trade-off of fill factor and short-circuit current density (Jsc); (2) the judicious selection of polymer donor affords a higher hole and electron mobility, giving a higher Jsc; and (3) engineering the cathode interlayer affords a higher electron mobility, which leads to a significant increase in electrical current generation and ultimately the power conversion efficiency (PCE).

  12. Individual, contextual and network characteristics of blood donors and non-donors: a systematic review of recent literature

    PubMed Central

    Piersma, Tjeerd W.; Bekkers, René; Klinkenberg, Elisabeth F.; de Kort, Wim L.A.M.; Merz, Eva-Maria

    2017-01-01

    Background The ageing population and recent migration flows may negatively affect the blood supply in the long term, increasing the importance of targeted recruitment and retention strategies to address donors. This review sought to identify individual, network and contextual characteristics related to blood donor status and behaviour, to systematically discuss differences between study results, and to identify possible factors to target in recruitment and retention efforts. Methods The systematic review was conducted in accordance with a predefined PROSPERO protocol (CRD42016039591). After quality assessments by multiple independent raters, a final set of 66 peer-reviewed papers, published between October 2009 and January 2017, were included for review. Results Individual and contextual characteristics of blood donor status and behaviour were categorised into five main lines of research: donor demographics, motivations and barriers, adverse reactions and deferral, contextual factors, and blood centre factors. Results on donor demographics, motivations and barriers, and contextual factors were inconclusive, differing between studies, countries, and sample characteristics. Adverse reactions and deferral were negatively related to blood donor behaviour. Blood centre factors play an important role in donor management, e.g., providing information, reminders, and (non-)monetary rewards. No studies were found on network characteristics of (non-)donors. Discussion Although individual and contextual characteristics strongly relate to blood donor status and behaviour, mechanisms underlying these relations have not been studied sufficiently. We want to stress the importance of longitudinal studies in donor behaviour, exploring the role of life events and network characteristics within blood donor careers. Increased understanding of donor behaviour will assist policy makers of blood collection agencies, with the ultimate goal of safeguarding a sufficient and matching blood

  13. Individual, contextual and network characteristics of blood donors and non-donors: a systematic review of recent literature.

    PubMed

    Piersma, Tjeerd W; Bekkers, René; Klinkenberg, Elisabeth F; De Kort, Wim L A M; Merz, Eva-Maria

    2017-09-01

    The ageing population and recent migration flows may negatively affect the blood supply in the long term, increasing the importance of targeted recruitment and retention strategies to address donors. This review sought to identify individual, network and contextual characteristics related to blood donor status and behaviour, to systematically discuss differences between study results, and to identify possible factors to target in recruitment and retention efforts. The systematic review was conducted in accordance with a predefined PROSPERO protocol (CRD42016039591). After quality assessments by multiple independent raters, a final set of 66 peer-reviewed papers, published between October 2009 and January 2017, were included for review. Individual and contextual characteristics of blood donor status and behaviour were categorised into five main lines of research: donor demographics, motivations and barriers, adverse reactions and deferral, contextual factors, and blood centre factors. Results on donor demographics, motivations and barriers, and contextual factors were inconclusive, differing between studies, countries, and sample characteristics. Adverse reactions and deferral were negatively related to blood donor behaviour. Blood centre factors play an important role in donor management, e.g., providing information, reminders, and (non-)monetary rewards. No studies were found on network characteristics of (non-)donors. Although individual and contextual characteristics strongly relate to blood donor status and behaviour, mechanisms underlying these relations have not been studied sufficiently. We want to stress the importance of longitudinal studies in donor behaviour, exploring the role of life events and network characteristics within blood donor careers. Increased understanding of donor behaviour will assist policy makers of blood collection agencies, with the ultimate goal of safeguarding a sufficient and matching blood supply.

  14. Diaphragmatic herniation following donor hepatectomy for living donor liver transplantation: a serious complication not given due recognition.

    PubMed

    Lochan, Rajiv; Saif, Rehan; Ganjoo, Naveen; Sakpal, Mallikarjun; Panackal, Charles; Raja, Kaiser; Reddy, Jayanth; Asthana, Sonal; Jacob, Mathew

    2017-11-01

    A clear appreciation of benefits and risks associated with living donor hepatectomy is important to facilitate counselling for the donor, family, and recipient in preparation for living donor liver transplant (LDLT). We report a life-threatening complication occurring in one of our live liver donors at 12 weeks following hemi-liver donation. We experienced five donor complications among our first 50 LDLT: Clavien Grade 1, n=1; Clavien grade 2, n=3; and Clavien grade 3B, n=1. The one with Clavien grade 3B had a life-threatening diaphragmatic hernia occurring 12 weeks following hepatectomy. This was promptly recognized and emergency surgery was performed. The donor is well at 1-year follow-up. Here we provide a review of reported instances of diaphragmatic hernia following donor hepatectomy with an attempt to elucidate the pathophysiology behind such occurrence. Life-threatening donor risk needs to be balanced with recipient benefit and risk on a tripartite basis during the counselling process for LDLT. With increasing use of LDLT, we need to be aware of such life-threatening complication. Preventive measures in this regard and counselling for such complication should be incorporated into routine work-up for potential live liver donor.

  15. Photoinduced Charge Transfer and Electrochemical Properties of Triphenylamine Ih-Sc3N@C80 Donor-Acceptor Conjugates

    PubMed Central

    Pinzón, Julio R.; Gasca, Diana C.; Shankara, Gayathri. S; Bottari, Giovanni; Torres, Tomás; Guldi, Dirk M.; Echegoyen, Luis

    2009-01-01

    Two isomeric [5,6]-pyrrolidine-Ih-Sc3N@C80 electron donor acceptor conjugates containing triphenylamine (TPA) as the donor system were synthesized. Electrochemical and photophysical studies of the novel conjugates were made and compared with those of their C60 analogues, in order to determine i) the effect of the linkage position (N-substituted versus 2-substituted pyrrolidine) of the donor system in the formation of photoinduced charge separated states, ii) the thermal stability towards the retro-cycloaddition reaction and iii) the effect of changing C60 for Ih-Sc3N@C80 as the electron acceptor. It was found that when the donor is connected to the pyrrolidine nitrogen atom, the resulting dyad produces a significantly longer lived radical pair than the corresponding 2-substituted isomer for both the C60 and Ih-Sc3N@C80 dyads. In addition to that, the N-substituted TPA-Ih-Sc3N@C80 dyad has much better thermal stability than the 2-subtituted one. Finally, the Ih-Sc3N@C80 dyads have considerably longer lived charge separated states than their C60 analogues, thus approving the advantage of using Ih-Sc3N@C80 instead of C60 as the acceptor for the construction of fullerene based donor acceptor conjugates. These findings are important for the design and future application of Ih-Sc3N@C80 dyads as materials for the construction of plastic organic solar cells. PMID:19445462

  16. Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy increases the supply of living donor kidneys: a center-specific microeconomic analysis.

    PubMed

    Kuo, P C; Johnson, L B

    2000-05-27

    A tenet of microeconomics is that new technology will shift the supply curve to the right. Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) is a new technique for removal of living donor kidneys. Centers performing this procedure have noted an increased number of patients presenting for donor evaluation. This has not been previously studied. The records of all LDN performed from May 1998 to February 1999 were reviewed. The following variables were examined: sex, age, related vs. unrelated donation, estimated blood loss, i.v. analgesia, length of stay, and time out of work. Donors undergoing traditional open donor nephrectomy during January 1997 to May 1998 served as the control group. A composite cost index was constructed. LDN significantly decreased length of stay, pain, and time out of work; the supply function shifted to the right. Telephone interviews revealed that 47% donated solely because of the LDN procedure. LDN increases the supply of living donor kidneys.

  17. Donor and Recipient Views on Their Relationship in Living Kidney Donation: Thematic Synthesis of Qualitative Studies.

    PubMed

    Ralph, Angelique F; Butow, Phyllis; Hanson, Camilla S; Chadban, Steve J; Chapman, Jeremy R; Craig, Jonathan C; Kanellis, John; Luxton, Grant; Tong, Allison

    2017-05-01

    Many donors and recipients report an improved relationship after transplantation; however, tension, neglect, guilt, and proprietorial concern over the recipient can impede donor and recipient well-being and outcomes. We aimed to describe donor and recipient expectations and experiences of their relationship in the context of living kidney donation. Thematic synthesis of qualitative studies. Living kidney donors and recipients. Electronic databases were searched to October 2015. Thematic synthesis. From 40 studies involving 1,440 participants (889 donors and 551 recipients) from 13 countries, we identified 6 themes. "Burden of obligation" described the recipient's perpetual sense of duty to demonstrate gratitude to the donor. "Earning acceptance" was the expectation that donation would restore relationships. "Developing a unique connection" reflected the inexplicable bond that donor-recipient dyads developed postdonation. "Desiring attention" was expressed by donors who wanted recognition for the act of donation and were envious and resentful of the attention the recipient received. "Retaining kidney ownership" reflected the donor's inclination to ensure that the recipient protected "their" kidney. "Enhancing social participation" encompassed relieving both the caregiver from the constraints of dialysis and the recipient from increased involvement and contribution in family life. Non-English articles were excluded. Living kidney donation can strengthen donor-recipient relationships but may trigger or exacerbate unresolved angst, tension, jealousy, and resentment. Facilitating access to pre- and posttransplantation psychological support that addresses potential relationship changes may help donors and recipients better adjust to changes in the relationship dynamics, which in turn may contribute to improved psychosocial and transplantation outcomes following living kidney donation. Copyright © 2016 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All

  18. Bundle-sheath thylakoids from NADP-malic enzyme-type C4 plants require an exogenous electron donor for enzyme light activation.

    PubMed

    Lavergne, D; Droux, M; Jacquot, J P; Miginiac-Maslow, M; Champigny, M L; Gadal, P

    1985-10-01

    Light activation of either NADP-malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.82) or fructose-1,6-bisphosphate phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.11) was assayed in a reconstituted chloroplastic, system comprising the isolated proteins of the ferredoxin-thioredoxin light-activation system and thylakoids from either mesophyll or bundle-sheath tissues of different C4 plants. While C4-plant thylakoids functionned almost equally well with C3-or C4-plant proteins, the photosyntem-II-deficient bundle-sheath thylakoids from the NADP-malic enzyme type, were unable to perform enzyme photoactivation unless supplemented with an electron donor to photosystem I. Bundle-sheath thylakoids isolated from plants showing no photosystem-II deficiency did not require such an addition. The results are discussed with respect to a possible requirement for a physiological reductant of ferredoxin for enzyme light activation in bundle-sheath, tissues.

  19. Successful haploidentical donor hematopoietic stem cell transplant and restoration of STAT3 function in an adolescent with autosomal dominant hyper-IgE syndrome.

    PubMed

    Patel, N C; Gallagher, J L; Torgerson, T R; Gilman, A L

    2015-07-01

    Autosomal dominant hyper-IgE syndrome (AD-HIES), caused by mutations in Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) is associated with defective STAT3 signaling and Th17 differentiation and recurrent bacterial and fungal infections. Most patients suffer significant morbidity and premature mortality. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been reported in a small number of cases, with mixed outcomes. We report successful haploidentical donor HSCT in a patient with AD-HIES. Evaluation of lymphocyte subsets, STAT3 signaling, and Th17 cells was performed pre- and post-HSCT. A 14-year old female with AD-HIES developed recurrent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) abscesses. Immunologic analysis showed elevated IgE (4331 kU/L), absent Th17 cells, and markedly decreased STAT3 phosphorylation in cytokine stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. She had breakthrough abscesses despite clindamycin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis, and developed steroid refractory autoimmune hemolytic anemia. She underwent T-cell depleted haploidentical HSCT from her father following reduced intensity conditioning. She developed one MRSA hand abscess after transplant. Twenty-four months post transplant, she had complete donor chimerism (>95 % donor), normal absolute T cell numbers, and a normal percentage of Th17 cells. IgE was normal at 25 kU/L. She remains well 42 months after transplantation off all antibacterial prophylaxis. Haploidentical HSCT led to successful bone marrow engraftment, normalization of STAT3 signaling in hematopoietic cells, normalization of IgE, and restoration of immune function in this patient with AD-HIES.

  20. Organic sensitizers featuring thiophene derivative based donors with improved stability and photovoltaic performance.

    PubMed

    Miao, Kai; Liang, Mao; Wang, Zhihui; Zhang, Chunyao; Sun, Zhe; Xue, Song

    2017-01-18

    Thiophene derivatives, including thieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (TBT), benzo[b]thiophene (BT), 2-phenylthieno[3,2-b]thiophene (PTT) and 2-phenylthiophene (PT), have been introduced as donors for the construction of triarylamine organic dyes (M52, M53, M56, M57 and M52A). The absorption, electrochemical and photovoltaic properties as well as the stabilities of these dyes are systematically investigated and compared with the reference dye (M55), whose donor is composed of the hexyloxybenzene (HOB) unit. It is found that introducing the TBT, BT, PTT or PT donors positively shifted the HOMO and LUMO levels of the organic dyes, providing a larger driving force for regeneration and reducing the energy loss for electron injection. In addition, we found that M52, which contains the TBT unit, exhibited better photovoltaic performance and photostability as compared to the reference dye. In contrast, M53 displayed the lowest efficiency and stability of these dyes, indicating that the BT unit is not a good building block for donors. Interestingly, upon the incorporation of the mixed donor (TBT-HOB), M52A achieved a desirable driving force for regeneration without a loss in light absorption, thus resulting in a further improved photovoltaic performance with respect to that of M52. This work demonstrates that introducing donors based on thiophene derivatives is a good strategy for tuning the energy levels and thereby enhancing the efficiency of the resulting devices.

  1. Electronic coupling in long-range electron transfer

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Newton, M.D.

    1996-12-31

    One of the quantities crucial in controlling electron transfer (et) kinetics is the donor/acceptor electronic coupling integral (HDA). Recent theoretical models for HDA will be presented, and the results of ab initio computational implementation will be reported and analyzed for several metal-to-metal ligand charge transfer processes in complex molecular aggregates. New procedures for defining diabatic states, including a generalization of the Mulliken-Hush model, allow applications to optical and excited state as well as ground state et in a many-state framework.

  2. Direct view at colossal permittivity in donor-acceptor (Nb, In) co-doped rutile TiO2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mandal, Suman; Pal, Somnath; Kundu, Asish K.; Menon, Krishnakumar S. R.; Hazarika, Abhijit; Rioult, Maxime; Belkhou, Rachid

    2016-08-01

    Topical observations of colossal permittivity (CP) with low dielectric loss in donor-acceptor cations co-doped rutile TiO2 have opened up several possibilities in microelectronics and energy-storage devices. Yet, the precise origin of the CP behavior, knowledge of which is essential to empower the device integration suitably, is highly disputed in the literature. From spectromicroscopic approach besides dielectric measurements, we explore that microscopic electronic inhomogeneities along with the nano-scale phase boundaries and the low temperature polaronic relaxation are mostly responsible for such a dielectric behavior, rather than electron-pinned defect-dipoles/grain-boundary effects as usually proposed. Donor-acceptor co-doping results in a controlled carrier-hopping inevitably influencing the dielectric loss while invariably upholding the CP value.

  3. Active Donor Management During the Hospital Phase of Care Is Associated with More Organs Transplanted per Donor.

    PubMed

    Patel, Madhukar S; De La Cruz, Salvador; Sally, Mitchell B; Groat, Tahnee; Malinoski, Darren J

    2017-10-01

    Meeting donor management goals when caring for potential organ donors has been associated with more organs transplanted per donor (OTPD). Concern persists, however, as to whether this indicates that younger/healthier donors are more likely to meet donor management goals or whether active management affects outcomes. A prospective observational study of all standard criteria donors was conducted by 10 organ procurement organizations across United Network for Organ Sharing Regions 4, 5, and 6. Donor management goals representing normal critical care end points were measured at 2 time points: when a catastrophic brain injury was recognized and a referral was made to the organ procurement organization by the DH; and after brain death was declared and authorization for organ donation was obtained. Donor management goals Bundle "met" was defined as achieving any 7 of 9 end points. A positive Bundle status change was defined as not meeting the Bundle at referral and subsequently achieving it at authorization. The primary outcomes measure was having ≥4 OTPD. Data were collected for 1,398 standard criteria donors. Of the 1,166 (83%) who did not meet the Bundle at referral, only 254 (22%) had a positive Bundle status change. On adjusted analysis, positive Bundle status change increased the odds of achieving ≥4 OTPD significantly (odds ratio 2.04; 95% CI 1.49 to 2.81; p < 0.001). A positive donor management goal Bundle status change during donor hospital management is associated with a 2-fold increase in achieving ≥4 OTPD. Active critical care management of the potential organ donor, as evidenced by improvement in routinely measured critical care end points can be a means by which to substantially increase the number of organs available for transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  4. Octogenarian Donors in Liver Transplantation.

    PubMed

    Gastaca, M; Guerra, M; Alvarez Martinez, L; Ruiz, P; Ventoso, A; Palomares, I; Prieto, M; Matarranz, A; Valdivieso, A; Ortiz de Urbina, J

    2016-11-01

    Due to the disparity between the number of patients on the list for liver transplantation and the availability of organs, the use of older donors has become necessary. The aim of this study was to investigate the outcomes of liver transplantation using octogenarian donors. From December 2003 to February 2016, 777 liver transplantations were performed at our institution, 33 of them (4.2%) with donors 80 years old and above. Our policy for the acceptance of these donors is based on preoperative liver function tests, donor hemodynamic stability, and intraoperative normal gross aspect. Octogenarian grafts were deliberately not assigned to retransplantations or to recipients with multiple previous surgical procedures or extensive portal thrombosis. Mean donor age was 82.7 ± 2.1 years, with a range between 80 and 88. Only 12.1% suffered hemodynamic instability during the intensive care unit stay. Three donors (9.1%) had a history of diabetes mellitus. The mean Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score among recipients was 14.7 ± 5.6. Mean cold ischemia time was 302 ± 61 minutes. After a median follow-up of 18.5 months (range 7.5 to 47.5), no graft developed primary nonfunction. We observed hepatic artery thrombosis in 1 patient (3%) and biliary complications in 4 patients (12.5%). There was 1 case of ischemic-type biliary lesion, although it was related to hepatic artery thrombosis. Patient survival at 1 and 3 years was 90.3%, whereas graft survival was 92.6% and 86.4%, respectively. Excellent mid-term results can be obtained after liver transplantation with octogenarian donors with strict donor selection and adequate graft allocation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Deceased donor organ transplantation with expanded criteria donors: a single-center experience from India.

    PubMed

    Goplani, K R; Firoz, A; Ramakrishana, P; Shah, P R; Gumber, M R; Patel, H V; Vanikar, A V; Trivedi, H L

    2010-01-01

    Deceased donor organ transplantation (DDOT) accounts for <4% of renal transplants in India. Many volunteers come forth for organ donation with increasing awareness; unfortunately, the majority are marginal donors, but their rejection would hamper the DDOT program. Judicious use of marginal organs is a challenge for developing countries. We performed 29 renal transplants from 21 expanded criteria donors (ECD) out of 115 DDOT between January 2006 to April 2009-10 dual (DKT) and 19 single (SKT). Fourteen donors had hypertension, a cerebrovascular accident as the cause of death, 9 had both, and 4 had diabetes. Mean donor age was 70.3 +/- 8.9 years. Decisions on the procedure were based upon frozen section biopsy in 13 of 21 donors. Mean DKT donor age was 76 +/- 9.7 years versu 64 +/- 5.7 years of SKT donors. The native kidney diseases were chronic glomerulonephritis (n = 14), diabetic nephropathy (n = 7), tubulointerstitial nephritis (n = 4) and polycystic kidney disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, lupus nephritis and patchy cortical necrosis, (n = 1 each). Mean recipient age of DKT versus SKT was 43.5 versus 42.3 years. All recipients received rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin, followed by steroid, mycophenolate mofetil/calcinueurin inhibitor. Over a mean follow-up of 341 days, the mean serum creatinine (SCr) of 25/29 patients was 1.60 mg/dL (range, 1.0-2.6). The mean SCr of SKT patients was 1.59 +/- 0.63 mg/dL and of DKT, 1.62 +/- 0.48 mg/dL. Ten patients had delayed graft function and 11 had biopsy proven acute tubular necrosis. Seven (24%) patients had rejection (grade 3 Banff update '05, type IA; 4, type 2A); 6 responded to antirejection; 1 graft was lost at 7 months due to chronic rejection. Three (10.3%) patients were lost, 1 each due to AMI, sepsis, and CMV disease. In the circumstances of organ shortage, DDOT with expanded criteria donor is a feasible option.

  6. Donor-Acceptor-Collector Ternary Crystalline Films for Efficient Solid-State Photon Upconversion.

    PubMed

    Ogawa, Taku; Hosoyamada, Masanori; Yurash, Brett; Nguyen, Thuc-Quyen; Yanai, Nobuhiro; Kimizuka, Nobuo

    2018-06-25

    It is pivotal to achieve efficient triplet-triplet annihilation based photon upconversion (TTA-UC) in the solid-state for enhancing potentials of renewable energy production devices. However, the UC efficiency of solid materials is largely limited by low fluorescence quantum yields that originate from the aggregation of TTA-UC chromophores, and also by severe back energy transfer from the acceptor singlet state to the singlet state of the triplet donor in the condensed state. In this work, to overcome these issues, we introduce a highly fluorescent singlet energy collector as the third component of donor-doped acceptor crystalline films, in which dual energy migration, i.e., triplet energy migration for TTA-UC and succeeding singlet energy migration for transferring energy to a collector, takes place. To demonstrate this scheme, a highly fluorescent singlet energy collector was added as the third component of donor-doped acceptor crystalline films. An anthracene-based acceptor containing alkyl chains and a carboxylic moiety is mixed with the triplet donor Pt(II) octaethylporphyrin (PtOEP) and the energy collector 2,5,8,11-tetra- tert-butylperylene (TTBP) in solution, and spin-coating of the mixed solution gives acceptor films of nanofibrous crystals homogeneously doped with PtOEP and TTBP. Interestingly, delocalized singlet excitons in acceptor crystals are found to diffuse effectively over the distance of ~37 nm. Thanks to this high diffusivity, only 0.5 mol% of doped TTBP can harvest most of the singlet excitons, which successfully doubles the solid-state fluorescent quantum yield of acceptor/TTBP blend films to 76%. Furthermore, since the donor PtOEP and the collector TTBP are separately isolated in the nanofibrous acceptor crystals, the singlet back energy transfer from the collector to the donor is effectively avoided. Such efficient singlet energy collection and inhibited back energy transfer processes result in a large increase of UC efficiency up to 9

  7. A pendulum experiment on added mass and equivalence.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Donnelly, Russell; Neill, Douglas; Livelybrooks, Dean

    2005-11-01

    The concept of added mass in fluid mechanics has been known for many years. A familiar example is the accelerated motion of a sphere through an inviscid fluid which has an added mass of one-half the mass of the fluid displaced. This result is widely used in quantum fluids; for example giving a finite mass to a trapped electron in superfluid helium-4, which is a free electron in a bubble about 36 Angstroms in diameter. A derivation of this result is contained in Landau-Lifshitz ``Fluid Mechanics'', Section 12. The period of oscillation of a simple pendulum in a vacuum is independent of the mass because of the principle of equivalence of gravitational and inertial masses. In a fluid however, both buoyancy and added mass enter the problem. We present results of experiments of simple pendulums of different materials oscillating in various fluids. The results agree closely with the results obtained for the added mass in inviscid fluids, as expected.

  8. The Association between Potential Exposure to Magazine Ads with Voluntary Health Warnings and the Perceived Harmfulness of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS)

    PubMed Central

    Weaver, Scott R.; Zahra, Nahleen; Huang, Jidong; Cheng, Kai-Wen; Chaloupka, Frank J.

    2018-01-01

    (1) Background: Several brands of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) carry voluntary health warning messages. This study examined how potential exposure to ENDS magazine ads with these voluntary health warnings were associated with the perceived harmfulness of ENDS. (2) Methods: Risk perception measures and self-reported exposure to ENDS ads were obtained from the 2014 Georgia State University (GSU) Tobacco Products and Risk Perceptions Survey of a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. We examined the association between potential exposure to magazine ads with warnings and the perceived harms of ENDS relative to cigarettes, using binary logistic regressions and controlling for general ENDS ad exposure and socio-demographic characteristics. (3) Results: Potential exposure to ENDS magazine ads with warnings was associated with a lower probability of considering ENDS to be more or equally harmful compared to cigarettes, particularly among non-smokers (OR = 0.16; 95% CI: 0.04–0.77). In addition, ad exposure, ENDS use history, race/ethnicity, gender, education, and income were also associated with harm perceptions. (4) Conclusions: This study did not find evidence that magazine ads with warnings increased misperceptions that ENDS are equally or more harmful than cigarettes. With more ENDS advertisements carrying warnings, more research is needed to determine how the warnings in advertisements convey relative harm information to consumers and the public. PMID:29570638

  9. The Association between Potential Exposure to Magazine Ads with Voluntary Health Warnings and the Perceived Harmfulness of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS).

    PubMed

    Shang, Ce; Weaver, Scott R; Zahra, Nahleen; Huang, Jidong; Cheng, Kai-Wen; Chaloupka, Frank J

    2018-03-23

    (1) Background: Several brands of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) carry voluntary health warning messages. This study examined how potential exposure to ENDS magazine ads with these voluntary health warnings were associated with the perceived harmfulness of ENDS. (2) Methods: Risk perception measures and self-reported exposure to ENDS ads were obtained from the 2014 Georgia State University (GSU) Tobacco Products and Risk Perceptions Survey of a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. We examined the association between potential exposure to magazine ads with warnings and the perceived harms of ENDS relative to cigarettes, using binary logistic regressions and controlling for general ENDS ad exposure and socio-demographic characteristics. (3) Results: Potential exposure to ENDS magazine ads with warnings was associated with a lower probability of considering ENDS to be more or equally harmful compared to cigarettes, particularly among non-smokers (OR = 0.16; 95% CI: 0.04-0.77). In addition, ad exposure, ENDS use history, race/ethnicity, gender, education, and income were also associated with harm perceptions. (4) Conclusions: This study did not find evidence that magazine ads with warnings increased misperceptions that ENDS are equally or more harmful than cigarettes. With more ENDS advertisements carrying warnings, more research is needed to determine how the warnings in advertisements convey relative harm information to consumers and the public.

  10. Trends in pediatric liver transplant donors and deceased donor circumstance of death in the United States, 2002-2015.

    PubMed

    Yoeli, Dor; Goss, Matthew; Galván, Nhu Thao N; Desai, Moreshwar S; Miloh, Tamir A; Rana, Abbas

    2018-05-01

    While much of the discussion regarding expanding the donor pool for pediatric liver transplantation has surrounded the use of technical variant grafts, little attention has been directed toward changes in the deceased donor population. The aim of this study was to investigate trends in the circumstance of the death of deceased donors used for pediatric liver transplantation. All pediatric liver transplant recipients transplanted between 2002 and 2015 were identified in the UNOS database and were categorized based on the donor circumstance of death. There was no significant correlation between year of transplantation and number of pediatric liver transplants performed, pediatric donors, split livers, or living donors. There was a significant downward trend in donors from motor vehicle fatalities and an upward trend in suicide, non-MVA, and death due to natural causes. There was also an upward trend in drowning, one of the most common mechanisms of death among non-MVA in 2015. While the number of donors who died in MVA has fallen, the number of deceased donors who died from suicide, natural causes, and non-MVA, especially drowning, has increased, maintaining the overall number of pediatric deceased donor livers transplanted. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Increasing the supply of kidneys for transplantation by making living donors the preferred source of donor kidneys.

    PubMed

    Testa, Giuliano; Siegler, Mark

    2014-12-01

    At the present time, increasing the use of living donors offers the best solution to the organ shortage problem. The clinical questions raised when the first living donor kidney transplant was performed, involving donor risk, informed consent, donor protection, and organ quality, have been largely answered. We strongly encourage a wider utilization of living donation and recommend that living donation, rather than deceased donation, become the first choice for kidney transplantation. We believe that it is ethically sound to have living kidney donation as the primary source for organs when the mortality and morbidity risks to the donor are known and kept extremely low, when the donor is properly informed and protected from coercion, and when accepted national and local guidelines for living donation are followed.

  12. Initiating Maintenance Dialysis Before Living Kidney Donor Transplantation When a Donor Candidate Evaluation Is Well Underway.

    PubMed

    Habbous, Steven; McArthur, Eric; Dixon, Stephanie N; McKenzie, Susan; Garcia-Ochoa, Carlos; Lam, Ngan N; Lentine, Krista L; Dipchand, Christine; Litchfield, Kenneth; Begen, Mehmet A; Sarma, Sisira; Garg, Amit X

    2018-07-01

    Preemptive kidney transplants result in better outcomes and patient experiences than transplantation after dialysis onset. It is unknown how often a person initiates maintenance dialysis before living kidney donor transplantation when their donor candidate evaluation is well underway. Using healthcare databases, we retrospectively studied 478 living donor kidney transplants from 2004 to 2014 across 5 transplant centers in Ontario, Canada, where the recipients were not receiving dialysis when their donor's evaluation was well underway. We also explored some factors associated with a higher likelihood of dialysis initiation before transplant. A total of 167 (35%) of 478 persons with kidney failure initiated dialysis in a median of 9.7 months (25th-75th percentile, 5.4-18.7 months) after their donor candidate began their evaluation and received dialysis for a median of 8.8 months (3.6-16.9 months) before kidney transplantation. The total cohort's dialysis cost was CAD $8.1 million, and 44 (26%) of 167 recipients initiated their dialysis urgently in hospital. The median total donor evaluation time (time from evaluation start to donation) was 10.6 months (6.4-21.6 months) for preemptive transplants and 22.4 months (13.1-38.7 months) for donors whose recipients started dialysis before transplant. Recipients were more likely to start dialysis if their donor was female, nonwhite, lived in a lower-income neighborhood, and if the transplant center received the recipient referral later. One third of persons initiated dialysis before receiving their living kidney donor transplant, despite their donor's evaluation being well underway. Future studies should consider whether some of these events can be prevented by addressing inappropriate delays to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.

  13. Return behavior of occasional and multigallon blood donors: the role of theory of planned behavior, self-identity, and organizational variables.

    PubMed

    Wevers, Anne; Wigboldus, Daniël H J; van Baaren, Rick; Veldhuizen, Ingrid J T

    2014-03-01

    For blood establishments it is important that blood donors return for a donation. Past research has stressed the importance of theory of planned behavior (TPB) on return behavior, but self-identity (SI) and organizational variables (OVs) might play a role as well. This study added SI and OVs to the TPB to identify the determinants for return behavior. Whole blood donors (n = 2005) completed a questionnaire assessing TPB, SI, and OVs. OVs contained "perceived satisfaction with the blood bank" and "feeling pressure from the blood bank to donate blood." Return behavior over the past 2 years was dichotomized as low return (0%-50%) versus high return (51%-100%). Logistic regression analyses assessed the effects of TPB, SI, and OVs on high return, separately for occasional donors (two to 10 lifetime donations) and multigallon donors (>10 lifetime donations). Results showed that, for all donors, affective attitude was positively associated with return behavior, whereas pressure to donate blood was negatively associated with return behavior. The point estimates of self-efficacy, SI, and perceived satisfaction are high for multigallon donors, but do not reach significance. For all donors, positive feelings about donating blood stimulate return behavior, while experiencing a pressure to donate blood emanating from the blood bank was not beneficial. Results suggest that multigallon donors are more stimulated to return when they score higher on self-efficacy, SI, and perceived satisfaction. Interventions aiming at donor retention need to be carefully formulated to avoid negative effects of feeling pressure to donate blood. © 2013 American Association of Blood Banks.

  14. Donor Telomere Length SAA

    Cancer.gov

    A new NCI study has found that, among patients with severe aplastic anemia who received a hematopoietic cell transplant from an unrelated donor, those whose donor white blood cells had longer telomeres had higher survival rates five-years after transplant

  15. Electronic structure of oxygen-vacancy defects in amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O semiconductors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Noh, Hyeon-Kyun; Chang, K. J.; Ryu, Byungki; Lee, Woo-Jin

    2011-09-01

    We perform first-principles density functional calculations to investigate the atomic and electronic properties of various O-vacancy (VO) defects in amorphous indium gallium zinc oxides (a-IGZO). The formation energies of VO have a tendency to increase with increasing number of neighboring Ga atoms, whereas they are generally low in the environment surrounded with In atoms. Thus, adding Ga atoms suppresses the formation of O-deficiency defects, which are considered as the origin of device instability in a-IGZO-based thin film transistors. The conduction band edge state is characterized by the In s orbital and insensitive to disorder, in good agreement with the experimental finding that increasing the In content enhances the carrier density and mobility. In a-IGZO, while most VO defects are deep donors, some of the defects act as shallow donors due to local environments different from those in crystalline oxides. As ionized O vacancies can capture electrons, it is suggested that these defects are responsible for positive shifts of the threshold voltage observed under positive gate bias stress. Under light illumination stress, VO defects can be ionized, becoming VO2+ defects due to the negative-U behavior. When electrons are captured by applying a negative bias voltage, ionized VO2+ defects return to the original neutral charge state. Through molecular dynamics simulations, we find that the initial neutral state is restored by annealing, in good agreement with experiments, although the annealing temperature depends on the local environment. Our calculations show that VO defects play an important role in the instability of a-IGZO-based devices.

  16. Photosensitized H2 Production Using a Zinc Porphyrin-Substituted Protein, Platinum Nanoparticles, and Ascorbate with No Electron Relay: Participation of Good's Buffers.

    PubMed

    Clark, Emily R; Kurtz, Donald M

    2017-04-17

    Development of efficient light-driven splitting of water, 2H 2 O → 2H 2 + O 2 , often attempts to optimize photosensitization of the reductive and oxidative half-reactions individually. Numerous homogeneous and heterogeneous systems have been developed for photochemical stimulation of the reductive half reaction, 2H + + 2e - → H 2 . These systems generally consist of various combinations of a H + reduction catalyst, a photosensitizer (PS), and a "sacrificial" electron donor. Zinc(II)-porphyrins (ZnPs) have frequently been used as PSs for H 2 generation, but they are subject to various self-quenching processes in aqueous solutions. Colloidal platinum in nanoparticle form (Pt NP) is a classical H + reduction catalyst using ZnP photosensitizers, but efficient photosensitized H 2 generation requires an electron relay molecule between ZnP and Pt NP. The present report describes an aqueous system for visible (white) light-sensitized generation of H 2 using a protein-embedded Zn(II)-protoporphyrin IX as PS and Pt NP as H + reduction catalyst without an added electron relay. This system operated efficiently in piperazino- and morpholino-alkylsulfonic acid (Good's buffers), which served as sacrificial electron donors. The system also required ascorbate at relatively modest concentrations, which stabilized the Zn(II)-protoporphyrin IX against photodegradation. In the absence of an electron relay molecule, the photosensitized H 2 generation must involve formation of at least a transient complex between a protein-embedded Zn(II)-protoporphyrin IX species and Pt NP.

  17. Open-Identity Sperm Donation: How Does Offering Donor-Identifying Information Relate to Donor-Conceived Offspring's Wishes and Needs?

    PubMed

    Ravelingien, An; Provoost, Veerle; Pennings, Guido

    2015-09-01

    Over the past years, a growing number of countries have legislated open-identity donation, in which donor-conceived offspring are given access to the donor's identity once the child has reached maturity. It is held that donor anonymity creates identity problems for such children similar to the "genealogical bewilderment" described within the adoption context. The study of the social and psychological effects of open-identity donation is still very much in its infancy, but what has been left unquestioned is whether (and to what extent) offering access to the donor's name and address is an adequate response to such effects. This study has two goals: First, we aim to provide a systematic review of the reasons why donor-conceived (DC) offspring want to know the identity of their sperm donor. Second, we examine to what extent the provision of donor-identifying information can satisfy the reasons mentioned. The most important motivations appear to be: (1) to avoid medical risks and consanguineous relationships; (2) to satisfy curiosity; (3) to learn more about the self or to complete one's identity; (4) to learn more about what kind of person the donor is (biographical information, why he donated, etc.); (5) to form a relationship with the donor and/or his family; and (6) to learn about one's ancestry/genealogy. Our analysis shows that for nearly all of these reasons access to the donor's identity is not necessary. In those cases where it is, moreover, donor identification is not sufficient. What is really needed is (extended) contact with the donor, rather than the mere provision of his name.

  18. Mapping the Reactivity and Selectivity of 2-Azidofucosyl Donors for the Assembly of N-Acetylfucosamine-Containing Bacterial Oligosaccharides.

    PubMed

    Hagen, Bas; Ali, Sara; Overkleeft, Herman S; van der Marel, Gijsbert A; Codée, Jeroen D C

    2017-01-20

    The synthesis of complex oligosaccharides is often hindered by a lack of knowledge on the reactivity and selectivity of their constituent building blocks. We investigated the reactivity and selectivity of 2-azidofucosyl (FucN 3 ) donors, valuable synthons in the synthesis of 2-acetamido-2-deoxyfucose (FucNAc) containing oligosaccharides. Six FucN 3 donors, bearing benzyl, benzoyl, or tert-butyldimethylsilyl protecting groups at the C3-O and C4-O positions, were synthesized, and their reactivity was assessed in a series of glycosylations using acceptors of varying nucleophilicity and size. It was found that more reactive nucleophiles and electron-withdrawing benzoyl groups on the donor favor the formation of β-glycosides, while poorly reactive nucleophiles and electron-donating protecting groups on the donor favor α-glycosidic bond formation. Low-temperature NMR activation studies of Bn- and Bz-protected donors revealed the formation of covalent FucN 3 triflates and oxosulfonium triflates. From these results, a mechanistic explanation is offered in which more reactive acceptors preferentially react via an S N 2-like pathway, while less reactive acceptors react via an S N 1-like pathway. The knowledge obtained in this reactivity study was then applied in the construction of α-FucN 3 linkages relevant to bacterial saccharides. Finally, a modular synthesis of the Staphylococcus aureus type 5 capsular polysaccharide repeating unit, a trisaccharide consisting of two FucNAc units, is described.

  19. Increasing the Rate of Living Donor Kidney Transplantation in Ontario: Donor- and Recipient-Identified Barriers and Solutions

    PubMed Central

    Getchell, Leah E.; McKenzie, Susan Q.; Sontrop, Jessica M.; Hayward, Jade S.; McCallum, Megan K.; Garg, Amit X.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose of Review: To hear from living kidney donors and recipients about what they perceive are the barriers to living donor kidney transplantation, and how patients can develop and lead innovative solutions to increase the rate and enhance the experiences of living donor kidney transplantation in Ontario. Sources of Information: A one-day patient-led workshop on March 10th, 2016 in Toronto, Ontario. Methods: Participants who were previously engaged in priority-setting exercises were invited to the meeting by patient lead, Sue McKenzie. This included primarily past kidney donors, kidney transplant recipients, as well as researchers, and representatives from renal and transplant health care organizations across Ontario. Key Findings: Four main barriers were identified: lack of education for patients and families, lack of public awareness about living donor kidney transplantation, financial costs incurred by donors, and health care system-level inefficiencies. Several novel solutions were proposed, including the development of a peer network to support and educate patients and families with kidney failure to pursue living donor kidney transplantation; consistent reimbursement policies to cover donors’ out-of-pocket expenses; and partnering with the paramedical and insurance industry to improve the efficiency of the donor and recipient evaluation process. Limitations: While there was a diversity of experience in the room from both donors and recipients, it does not provide a complete picture of the living kidney donation process for all Ontario donors and recipients. The discussion was provincially focused, and as such, some of the solutions suggested may already be in practice or unfeasible in other provinces. Implications: The creation of a patient-led provincial council was suggested as an important next step to advance the development and implementation of solutions to overcome patient-identified barriers to living donor kidney transplantation. PMID:28491334

  20. Donor recruitment and selection for adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation in urgent and elective circumstances.

    PubMed

    Ben-Haim, Menahem; Carmiel, Michal; Lubezky, Nir; Keidar, Rivka; Katz, Paulina; Blachar, Arye; Nimrod, Adi; Sorkine, Patrick; Oren, Ran; Klausner, Joseph M; Nakache, Richard

    2005-03-01

    Adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation is becoming an alternative to cadaveric transplantation in urgent and elective settings. Donor selection crucially affects donor safety and recipient outcome. To present our algorithm of urgent and elective donor selection. Urgent selection is expeditious and protocol-based. Elective selection permits a comprehensive process. Both include medical, psychosocial and surgical-anatomic evaluations. Liver volumes and vascular anatomy are evaluated with computerized tomographic angiography. Informed consent is obtained after painstaking explanations. Independent institutional committees review and approve all cases. Between July 2003 and June 2004 we evaluated 43 potential live donors for 12 potential recipients (fulminant hepatic failure, n = 5; chronic end-stage liver disease, n = 6; primary graft non-function, n = 1). Thirty-three candidates (76%) were excluded due to blood type incompatibility (n = 14, 42%), incompatible anatomy (n = 8, 24%)--including problematic volume distribution (n = 2) or vascular anatomy (n = 6)--psychosocial issues (n = 4, 12%), or medical co-morbidity (n = 7, 22%). Five recipients (FHF, n = 4; chronic ESLD, n = 1) were successfully transplanted from living donors. In the acute setting, two patients (FHF, PGNF) died in the absence of an appropriate donor (cadaveric or living donor). In the elective group, one patient died of unexpected variceal bleeding and one received a cadaveric graft just before the planned living donor transplantation was performed. One candidate was transplanted overseas and two cases are scheduled. The ratio of compatibility for donation was 34% (10/29) for blood type-compatible candidates. Donor selection for living donor liver transplantation is a complex, labor-intensive multidisciplinary process. Most exclusions are due to blood type incompatibility or anatomic details. Psychosocial aspects of these donations warrant special attention.

  1. Tuning the physical properties of organic sensitizers by replacing triphenylamine with new donors for dye sensitized solar cells - a theoretical approach.

    PubMed

    Ramkumar, Sekar; Manidurai, Paulraj

    2017-02-15

    New donor molecules with low ionization potential have been theoretically designed by replacing the benzene moieties in triphenylamine (TPA) with thiophene as well as furan. The designed new donors also exhibited planar structure, making an angle of 120° around the nitrogen atom that results in resonance effects through π-bonds of aryl rings. New sensitizers have been theoretically studied using DFT and TD-DFT by adopting these designed donors. UV-Vis absorption spectra, light harvesting ability (LHE) and electron injection ability (ΔG inject ) of the designed sensitizers have been calculated by taking L0 as reference. Orbital overlapping between donor and acceptor facilitates intra-molecular charge transfer, thereby increasing the interfacial electron injection from the sensitizer to the semiconductor nanoparticles. Our theoretical results demonstrate that sensitizers DTPA-AA and DFPA-AA have broader absorption and lower ΔG inject respectively compare to L0, this opens a new way for designing sensitizers for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). All the dyes designed were found to be good light harvesters. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. [Lack of donor organs as an argument for living donors?].

    PubMed

    Kirste, G

    2010-09-01

    In Germany more than 12,000 patients are presently waiting for an organ donation. Living donation makes sense for the long waiting time for a kidney, but it is not a permanent solution for the lack of organ donations. In the future topics which should be discussed are intensified public relations, a better family care and the allocation of rights and duties at the German coordinating agency. For all the prospects of success after a living donation the high standards of quality and security, which are targeted by the German donor organization in recipient protection, responsible evaluation of the expanded donor criteria and immunosuppressive therapy are all in favor of post-mortem organ donation. For all the phenomenal chance of success the priority of the post-mortem organ donation is regulated by law. The living donation remains an individual decision of the donor and the personal situation of life.

  3. Outcomes of management for potential deceased donors.

    PubMed

    Jeong, J C; Kim, M G; Ro, H; Kim, Y J; Park, H C; Kwon, H Y; Jeon, H J; Ha, J; Ahn, C; Yang, J

    2012-05-01

    Potential deceased donor management optimization is important for organ recovery maximization. Before optimization, the current state of donor management and predictors for organ recovery require analysis. We retrospectively analyzed organ procurement activity and medical management for 2005 to 2010 potential brain death donors at Seoul National University Hospital. Of 316 contacts for potential brain-dead donors, 129 (39.7%) patients were transferred to the donor management team. Among the causes of transfer failure, issues related to proper donor management affected 33%. Expanded criteria donors were 17.9% of transferred donors. Organ recovery was successful in 111 (90.2%) donors. A total of 360 organs were recovered, corresponding to a mean of 2.92 ± 1.37 organs per donor. The absence of organ demand was an important cause of recovery failure among less transplanted organs. Brain death-related complications were identified as follows: acute kidney injury (AKI), defined by AKI network criteria, occurred in 19 (15.4%); cardiopulmonary resuscitation in 5 (3.1%); bacteremia in 12 (9.7%); thrombocytopenia in 24 (19.5%); and diabetes insipidus in 42 (34.1%). AKI was a significant independent risk factor for organ recovery failure in both the liver and kidney (odds ratio [OR] 0.147, 95% confidence interval [0.045, 0.473], P = .001; OR 0.096, 95% confidence interval [0.023, 0.392], P = .001, for kidney and liver, respectively). Both the transfer success rate and rate of organs transplanted per donor of potential deceased donors remained low in Korea. AKI during potential donor management was a risk factor for kidney and liver recovery failure. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Total laparoscopic living donor right hepatectomy.

    PubMed

    Han, Ho-Seong; Cho, Jai Young; Yoon, Yoo-Seok; Hwang, Dae Wook; Kim, Young Ki; Shin, Hong Kyung; Lee, Woohyung

    2015-01-01

    Right lobe living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is the predominant form of adult-to-adult LDLT. Accordingly, cosmetic and functional demand by young donors is increasing. We developed the world first total laparoscopic donor right hepatectomy (LDRH) in adult living donors. Total LDRH was performed in two young donors without vascular clamping. Modified extended right graft (right liver including all the middle hepatic vein branches) was retrieved from suprapubic transverse incision. After full mobilization of right liver, hilar dissection was done. First, right portal vein was isolated under retracting common bile duct laterally. Right hepatic artery was cautiously dissected and isolated without injuring. An exact transection line was drawn during transient clamping of the hepatic artery and portal vein on the right side of the liver using bulldog clamp. Dissection was meticulously performed along the right side of the middle hepatic vein until the origin of middle hepatic vein until exposure of the hilar plate. Anterior section vein branches (V5 and V8) were finely dissected and were reconstructed using an artificial vascular graft. A modified extended right graft with preservation of the middle hepatic vein branches was extracted through the suprapubic incision. There was no complication in both donors and recipients. Postoperative hospital stay of donors was 10 and 8 days, respectively. After follow-up of more than 1 year, all donors and recipients live well with normal liver function. Total LDRH was feasible in selected adult donors. If this procedure will be more standardized, then total LDRH will be new option for adult LDLT, which meets demand by donors and diminish guilty feeling by recipients.

  5. Local Intermolecular Order Controls Photoinduced Charge Separation at Donor/Acceptor Interfaces in Organic Semiconductors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Feier, Hilary M.; Reid, Obadiah G.; Pace, Natalie A.

    2016-03-23

    How free charge is generated at organic donor-acceptor interfaces is an important question, as the binding energy of the lowest energy (localized) charge transfer states should be too high for the electron and hole to escape each other. Recently, it has been proposed that delocalization of the electronic states participating in charge transfer is crucial, and aggregated or otherwise locally ordered structures of the donor or the acceptor are the precondition for this electronic characteristic. The effect of intermolecular aggregation of both the polymer donor and fullerene acceptor on charge separation is studied. In the first case, the dilute electronmore » acceptor triethylsilylhydroxy-1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octabutoxyphthalocyaninatosilicon(IV) (SiPc) is used to eliminate the influence of acceptor aggregation, and control polymer order through side-chain regioregularity, comparing charge generation in 96% regioregular (RR-) poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) with its regiorandom (RRa-) counterpart. In the second case, ordered phases in the polymer are eliminated by using RRa-P3HT, and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) is used as the acceptor, varying its concentration to control aggregation. Time-resolved microwave conductivity, time-resolved photoluminescence, and transient absorption spectroscopy measurements show that while ultrafast charge transfer occurs in all samples, long-lived charge carriers are only produced in films with intermolecular aggregates of either RR-P3HT or PC61BM, and that polymer aggregates are just as effective in this regard as those of fullerenes.« less

  6. Non-fullerene electron acceptors for organic photovoltaic devices

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jenekhe, Samson A.; Li, Haiyan; Earmme, Taeshik

    Non-fullerene electron acceptors for highly efficient organic photovoltaic devices are described. The non-fullerene electron acceptors have an extended, rigid, .pi.-conjugated electron-deficient framework that can facilitate exciton and charge derealization. The non-fullerene electron acceptors can physically mix with a donor polymer and facilitate improved electron transport. The non-fullerene electron acceptors can be incorporated into organic electronic devices, such as photovoltaic cells.

  7. An Inexpensive Co-Intercalated Layered Double Hydroxide Composite with Electron Donor-Acceptor Character for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting

    PubMed Central

    Zheng, Shufang; Lu, Jun; Yan, Dongpeng; Qin, Yumei; Li, Hailong; Evans, David G.; Duan, Xue

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, the inexpensive 4,4-diaminostilbene-2,2-disulfonate (DAS) and 4,4-dinitro-stilbene-2,2- disulfonate (DNS) anions with arbitrary molar ratios were successfully co-intercalated into Zn2Al-layered double hydroxides (LDHs). The DAS(50%)-DNS/LDHs composite exhibited the broad UV-visible light absorption and fluorescence quenching, which was a direct indication of photo-induced electron transfer (PET) process between the intercalated DAS (donor) and DNS (acceptor) anions. This was confirmed by the matched HOMO/LUMO energy levels alignment of the intercalated DAS and DNS anions, which was also compatible for water splitting. The DAS(50%)-DNS/LDHs composite was fabricated as the photoanode and Pt as the cathode. Under the UV-visible light illumination, the enhanced photo-generated current (4.67 mA/cm2 at 0.8 V vs. SCE) was generated in the external circuit, and the photoelectrochemical water split was realized. Furthermore, this photoelectrochemical water splitting performance had excellent crystalline, electrochemical and optical stability. Therefore, this novel inorganic/organic hybrid photoanode exhibited potential application prospect in photoelectrochemical water splitting. PMID:26174201

  8. Hypochlorite-Mediated Modulation of Photoinduced Electron Transfer in a Phenothiazine-Boron dipyrromethene Electron Donor-Acceptor Dyad: A Highly Water Soluble "Turn-On" Fluorescent Probe for Hypochlorite.

    PubMed

    Soni, Disha; Duvva, Naresh; Badgurjar, Deepak; Roy, Tapta Kanchan; Nimesh, Surendra; Arya, Geeta; Giribabu, Lingamallu; Chitta, Raghu

    2018-04-16

    A highly water-soluble phenothiazine (PTZ)-boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY)-based electron donor-acceptor dyad (WS-Probe), which contains BODIPY as the signaling antennae and PTZ as the OCl - reactive group, was designed and used as a fluorescent chemosensor for the detection of OCl - . Upon addition of incremental amounts of NaOCl, the quenched fluorescence of WS-Probe was enhanced drastically, which indicated the inhibition of reductive photoinduced electron transfer (PET) from PTZ to 1 BODIPY*; the detection limit was calculated to be 26.7 nm. Selectivity studies with various reactive oxygen species, cations, and anions revealed that WS-Probe was able to detect OCl - selectively. Steady-state fluorescence studies performed at varied pH suggested that WS-Probe can detect NaOCl and exhibits maximum fluorescence in the pH range of 7 to 8, similar to physiological conditions. ESI-MS analysis and 1 H NMR spectroscopy titrations showed the formation of sulfoxide as the major oxidized product upon addition of hypochlorite. More interestingly, when WS-Probe was treated with real water samples, the fluorescence response was clearly visible with tap water and disinfectant, which indicated the presence of OCl - in these samples. The in vitro cell viability assay performed with human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK 293) cells suggested that WS-probe is non-toxic up to 10 μm and implicates the use of the probe for biological applications. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Motivation for living-donor liver transplantation from the donor's perspective: an in-depth qualitative research study.

    PubMed

    Papachristou, Christina; Walter, Marc; Dietrich, Kerstin; Danzer, Gerhard; Klupp, Jochen; Klapp, Burghard F; Frommer, Jörg

    2004-11-27

    There has been a lack of systematic in-depth research on the motives of living liver donors before transplantation that could contribute to an advanced understanding of their situation and to a more precise psychosocial evaluation, to protect the autonomy for decision, and to prevent psychosocial complications. Twenty-eight living liver donors were assessed preoperatively through a semistructured clinical interview. The taped and transcribed interviews were analyzed using a combination of grounded theory and empirically grounded type construction. Various factors contribute to the donor's motivation for donation: the relationship to the recipient, the personal attitude of the donor, his or her personal history, family dynamics, the donor's personal profit, and the exceptional situation of the recipient's life-threatening disease combined with the life-rescuing possibility of living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). In reference to this, five "ideal types" of living donors emerged from the authors' data. A complete absence of coercion on the decision to donate seems unrealistic because of the dynamics initiated by the life-threatening condition of the recipient. It is important that donors feel they are gaining something by donation to be sufficiently motivated and that their profit is of an emotional or moral nature (i.e., the donation being set in an emotionally meaningful context). A mature relationship with the recipient usually provides such a context. The role of the clinician as a part of LDLT dynamics has a decisive influence.

  10. Brain-Dead Donors on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

    PubMed

    Bronchard, Régis; Durand, Louise; Legeai, Camille; Cohen, Johana; Guerrini, Patrice; Bastien, Olivier

    2017-10-01

    To describe donors after brain death with ongoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and to analyze the outcome of organs transplanted from these donors. Retrospective analysis of the national information system run by the French Biomedicine Agency (CRISTAL database). National registry data of all donors after brain death in France and their organ recipients between 2007 and 2013. Donors after brain death and their organ recipients. None. During the study period, there were 22,270 brain-dead patients diagnosed in France, of whom 161 with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Among these patients, 64 donors on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and 10,805 donors without extracorporeal membrane oxygenation had at least one organ retrieved. Donors on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were significantly younger and had more severe intensive care medical conditions (hemodynamic, biological, renal, and liver insults) than donors without extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. One hundred nine kidneys, 37 livers, seven hearts, and one lung were successfully transplanted from donors on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. We found no significant difference in 1-year kidney graft survival (p = 0.24) and function between recipients from donors on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (92.7% [85.9-96.3%]) and matching recipients from donors without extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (95.4% [93.0-97.0%]). We also found no significant difference in 1-year liver recipient survival (p = 0.91): 86.5% (70.5-94.1) from donors on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation versus 80.7% (79.8-81.6) from donors without extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Brain-dead patients with ongoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation have more severe medical conditions than those without extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. However, kidney graft survival and function were no different than usual. Brain-dead patients with ongoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation are suitable for organ procurement.

  11. Blood donors in Kenya: a comparison of voluntary and family replacement donors based on a population-based survey.

    PubMed

    Kimani, D; Mwangi, J; Mwangi, M; Bunnell, R; Kellogg, T A; Oluoch, T; Gichangi, A; Kaiser, R; Mugo, N; Odongo, T; Oduor, M; Marum, L

    2011-02-01

    Blood safety and sufficiency are major challenges in Kenya and other sub-Saharan African countries forcing many countries to rely on family replacement donors (FRD). We analysed data from a national AIDS indicator survey to describe blood donors in Kenya and potential risks of transfusion transmissible infections (TTI) comparing voluntary donors and FRD. A population-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2007 among 15- to 64-year-olds. Consenting participants were interviewed about blood donation history and were tested for HIV, HSV-2 and syphilis. Of the 17,940 people surveyed, 445 (2·3%) reported donating blood in the prior 12 months. Sixty-four per cent were voluntary donors, and the rest were FRD. Compared to FRD, the majority of voluntary donors were <25 years old (59% versus 18%), from the highest wealth quintile (57% versus 42%) and single (64% versus 23%). In addition, voluntary donors were less likely to have been sexually active than replacement donors (43% versus 13%). HIV prevalence was lower among voluntary donors than among FRD (2·6% versus 7·4%, P-value=0·07). The majority of blood donors in Kenya are voluntary with lower potential risk of TTI. © 2010 The Author(s). Vox Sanguinis © 2010 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

  12. Temperature dependent behavior of localized and delocalized electrons in nitrogen-doped 6H SiC crystals as studied by electron spin resonance

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Savchenko, D., E-mail: dariyasavchenko@gmail.com; National Technical University of Ukraine “Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”, Kyiv 03056; Kalabukhova, E.

    2016-01-28

    We have studied the temperature behavior of the electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra of nitrogen (N) donors in n-type 6H SiC crystals grown by Lely and sublimation sandwich methods (SSM) with donor concentration of 10{sup 17 }cm{sup −3} at T = 60–150 K. A broad signal in the ESR spectrum was observed at T ≥ 80 K with Lorentzian lineshape and g{sub ||} = 2.0043(3), g{sub ⊥} = 2.0030(3), which was previously assigned in the literature to the N donors in the 1s(E) excited state. Based on the analysis of the ESR lineshape, linewidth and g-tensor we attribute this signal to the conduction electrons (CE). The emergence of the CE ESRmore » signal at T > 80 K was explained by the ionization of electrons from the 1s(A{sub 1}) ground and 1s(E) excited states of N donors to the conduction band while the observed reduction of the hyperfine (hf) splitting for the N{sub k1,k2} donors with the temperature increase is attributed to the motional narrowing effect of the hf splitting. The temperature dependence of CE ESR linewidth is described by an exponential law (Orbach process) with the activation energy corresponding to the energy separation between 1s(A{sub 1}) and 1s(E) energy levels for N residing at quasi-cubic sites (N{sub k1,k2}). The theoretical analysis of the temperature dependence of microwave conductivity measured by the contact-free method shows that due to the different position of the Fermi level in two samples the ionization of free electrons occurs from the energy levels of N{sub k1,k2} donors in Lely grown samples and from the energy level of N{sub h} residing at hexagonal position in 6H SiC grown by SSM.« less

  13. Comparable short- and long-term outcomes in deceased-donor and living-donor liver retransplantation.

    PubMed

    Chok, Kenneth Siu Ho; Chan, Albert C Y; Fung, James Y Y; Dai, Wing Chiu; Cheung, Tan To; Lo, Chung Mau

    2017-11-01

    There is a big controversy over liver retransplantation, the only life-saving treatment for patients with a failing or failed liver graft. This retrospective study tried to determine if living-donor liver retransplantation (re-LDLT) is a justifiable alternative to deceased-donor liver retransplantation (re-DDLT). Anonymous data of liver transplant patients from January 2000 to April 2016 were reviewed. Recipients of retransplantation were divided into the re-DDLT and re-LDLT groups. The groups were compared in demographic characteristics, pre-retransplant and intraoperative details, and short- and long-term outcomes. Risk for living donors was examined. Twenty-nine patients had 33 re-DDLTs and 15 patients received re-LDLT. The re-LDLT group had lighter grafts (525 vs. 1295 g, p ≤ 0.001), a smaller ratio of graft weight to recipient standard liver volume (56.98 vs. 107.7%, p ≤ 0.001), and shorter cold ischemia (106 vs. 451 min, p ≤ 0.001). The groups were otherwise comparable. Two patients in the re-DDLT group had Grade-5 complication. The groups were similar in patient survival (p = 0.326) and graft survival (p = 0.102). No living donors died, but three of them developed Grade-1 complications. With the required expertise, re-LDLT can produce results comparable to those of re-DDLT while keeping donor risk at bay. In places where the demand for deceased-donor liver grafts far outstrips supply, re-LDLT can be considered as an alternative to re-DDLT if the expertise is available and if the potential recipient benefits can balance out the potential donor risks.

  14. Interaction of Strain and Nuclear Spins in Silicon: Quadrupolar Effects on Ionized Donors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Franke, David P.; Hrubesch, Florian M.; Künzl, Markus; Becker, Hans-Werner; Itoh, Kohei M.; Stutzmann, Martin; Hoehne, Felix; Dreher, Lukas; Brandt, Martin S.

    2015-07-01

    The nuclear spins of ionized donors in silicon have become an interesting quantum resource due to their very long coherence times. Their perfect isolation, however, comes at a price, since the absence of the donor electron makes the nuclear spin difficult to control. We demonstrate that the quadrupolar interaction allows us to effectively tune the nuclear magnetic resonance of ionized arsenic donors in silicon via strain and determine the two nonzero elements of the S tensor linking strain and electric field gradients in this material to S11=1.5 ×1022 V /m2 and S44=6 ×1022 V /m2 . We find a stronger benefit of dynamical decoupling on the coherence properties of transitions subject to first-order quadrupole shifts than on those subject to only second-order shifts and discuss applications of quadrupole physics including mechanical driving of magnetic resonance, cooling of mechanical resonators, and strain-mediated spin coupling.

  15. Identification of rhenium donors and sulfur vacancy acceptors in layered MoS{sub 2} bulk samples

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brandão, F. D., E-mail: fdbrand@fisica.ufmg.br; Ribeiro, G. M.; Vaz, P. H.

    2016-06-21

    MoS{sub 2} monolayers, a two-dimensional (2D) direct semiconductor material with an energy gap of 1.9 eV, offer many opportunities to be explored in different electronic devices. Defects often play dominant roles in the electronic and optical properties of semiconductor devices. However, little experimental information about intrinsic and extrinsic defects or impurities is available for this 2D system, and even for macroscopic 3D samples for which MoS{sub 2} shows an indirect bandgap of 1.3 eV. In this work, we evaluate the nature of impurities with unpaired spins using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) in different geological macroscopic samples. Regarding the fact that monolayers aremore » mostly obtained from natural crystals, we expect that the majority of impurities found in macroscopic samples are also randomly present in MoS{sub 2} monolayers. By EPR at low temperatures, rhenium donors and sulfur vacancy acceptors are identified as the main impurities in bulk MoS{sub 2} with a corresponding donor concentration of about 10{sup 8–12} defects/cm{sup 2} for MoS{sub 2} monolayer. Electrical transport experiments as a function of temperature are in good agreement with the EPR results, revealing a shallow donor state with an ionization energy of 89 meV and a concentration of 7 × 10{sup 15 }cm{sup −3}, which we attribute to rhenium, as well as a second deeper donor state with ionization energy of 241 meV with high concentration of 2 × 10{sup 19 }cm{sup −3} and net acceptor concentration of 5 × 10{sup 18 }cm{sup −3} related to sulfur vacancies.« less

  16. Validation of Living Donor Nephrectomy Codes

    PubMed Central

    Lam, Ngan N.; Lentine, Krista L.; Klarenbach, Scott; Sood, Manish M.; Kuwornu, Paul J.; Naylor, Kyla L.; Knoll, Gregory A.; Kim, S. Joseph; Young, Ann; Garg, Amit X.

    2018-01-01

    Background: Use of administrative data for outcomes assessment in living kidney donors is increasing given the rarity of complications and challenges with loss to follow-up. Objective: To assess the validity of living donor nephrectomy in health care administrative databases compared with the reference standard of manual chart review. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: 5 major transplant centers in Ontario, Canada. Patients: Living kidney donors between 2003 and 2010. Measurements: Sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV). Methods: Using administrative databases, we conducted a retrospective study to determine the validity of diagnostic and procedural codes for living donor nephrectomies. The reference standard was living donor nephrectomies identified through the province’s tissue and organ procurement agency, with verification by manual chart review. Operating characteristics (sensitivity and PPV) of various algorithms using diagnostic, procedural, and physician billing codes were calculated. Results: During the study period, there were a total of 1199 living donor nephrectomies. Overall, the best algorithm for identifying living kidney donors was the presence of 1 diagnostic code for kidney donor (ICD-10 Z52.4) and 1 procedural code for kidney procurement/excision (1PC58, 1PC89, 1PC91). Compared with the reference standard, this algorithm had a sensitivity of 97% and a PPV of 90%. The diagnostic and procedural codes performed better than the physician billing codes (sensitivity 60%, PPV 78%). Limitations: The donor chart review and validation study was performed in Ontario and may not be generalizable to other regions. Conclusions: An algorithm consisting of 1 diagnostic and 1 procedural code can be reliably used to conduct health services research that requires the accurate determination of living kidney donors at the population level. PMID:29662679

  17. The Roles of Biofilm Conductivity and Donor Substrate Kinetics in a Mixed-Culture Biofilm Anod

    EPA Science Inventory

    We experimentally assessed kinetics and thermodynamics of electron transfer (ET) from the donor substrate (acetate) to the anode for a mixed-culture biofilm anode. We interpreted the results with a modified biofilm-conduction model consisting of three ET steps: (1) intracellular...

  18. Who requests their sperm donor's identity? The first ten years of information releases to adults with open-identity donors.

    PubMed

    Scheib, Joanna E; Ruby, Alice; Benward, Jean

    2017-02-01

    To report findings from 10 years of requests from adults eligible to obtain their open-identity sperm donor's information. Analysis of archived family and donor data. Semistructured interviews at information releases. Not applicable. A total of 85 DI adults requesting 43 donor identities; program data on 256 DI families. None. We identified [1] demographic predictors of requesting donor identities, [2] information release timing and length, and [3] request motives. Just >35% of eligible DI adults requested their donor's identity. Adults ranged from 18-27 years, requesting at median age 18 years. More women than men requested. Proportionally fewer adults requested when they had heterosexual-couple parents, and proportionally more when they had one rather than two parents. In interviews, the common theme was wanting to know more about the donor, especially about shared characteristics. Most adults planned to contact their donor. More than 94% of adults had donors who were open to contact; adults expressed modest expectations about this contact. In 2001, the first adults became eligible to obtain their open-identity sperm donor's information. Ten years of identity requests at one program indicates that information about one's donor is important to a significant proportion of these DI adults. Most requested their donor's identity soon after becoming eligible, suggesting some urgency to wanting the information. Interview data highlighted the role of donor information in helping adults better understand themselves and their ancestry. Findings hold important implications for practice and policy. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Donor Hemodynamics as a Predictor of Outcomes After Kidney Transplantation From Donors After Cardiac Death.

    PubMed

    Allen, M B; Billig, E; Reese, P P; Shults, J; Hasz, R; West, S; Abt, P L

    2016-01-01

    Donation after cardiac death is an important source of transplantable organs, but evidence suggests donor warm ischemia contributes to inferior outcomes. Attempts to predict recipient outcome using donor hemodynamic measurements have not yielded statistically significant results. We evaluated novel measures of donor hemodynamics as predictors of delayed graft function and graft failure in a cohort of 1050 kidneys from 566 donors. Hemodynamics were described using regression line slopes, areas under the curve, and time beyond thresholds for systolic blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and shock index (heart rate divided by systolic blood pressure). A logistic generalized estimation equation model showed that area under the curve for systolic blood pressure was predictive of delayed graft function (above median: odds ratio 1.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06-1.90). Multivariable Cox regression demonstrated that slope of oxygen saturation during the first 10 minutes after extubation was associated with graft failure (below median: hazard ratio 1.30, 95% CI 1.03-1.64), with 5-year graft survival of 70.0% (95%CI 64.5%-74.8%) for donors above the median versus 61.4% (95%CI 55.5%-66.7%) for those below the median. Among older donors, increased shock index slope was associated with increased hazard of graft failure. Validation of these findings is necessary to determine the utility of characterizing donor warm ischemia to predict recipient outcome. © Copyright 2015 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  20. Endothelial keratoplasty with infant donor tissue

    PubMed Central

    Kobayashi, Akira; Yokogawa, Hideaki; Yamazaki, Natsuko; Masaki, Toshinori; Sugiyama, Kazuhisa

    2014-01-01

    Here we report a case of endothelial keratoplasty with infant donor tissue obtained after brain death. A 52-year-old man with endothelial dysfunction of unknown cause in the right eye underwent non-Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (nDSAEK) with tissue from an infant donor (2 years). Intraoperative and postoperative complications were recorded. Best corrected visual acuity and donor central endothelial cell density were recorded preoperatively and postoperatively. Infant donor tissue preparation with a microkeratome set at 300 μm was successful; the donor tissue was extremely elastic and soft compared with adult tissue. The central endothelial cell density of the infant donor tissue was as high as 4,291 cells/mm2. No complications were observed during donor tissue (8.0 mm in diameter) insertion with the double-glide technique (Busin glide with intraocular lens sheet glide) or any of the other procedures. Best corrected visual acuity improved from 1.7 logMAR (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution; 0.02 decimal visual acuity) preoperatively to 0.2 logMAR (0.6) after 6 months and 0.1 logMAR (0.8) after 1 year. The central endothelial cell density after 6 months was 4,098 cells/mm2 (representing a 4.5% cell loss from preoperative donor cell measurements), and the central endothelial cell density after 1 year was 4,032 cells/mm2 (6.0% decrease). Infant donor tissue may be preferably used for DSAEK/nDASEK, since it may not be suitable for penetrating keratoplasty or Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty. PMID:25246761

  1. Suicidal hanging donors for lung transplantation

    PubMed Central

    Ananiadou, Olga; Schmack, Bastian; Zych, Bartlomiej; Sabashnikov, Anton; Garcia-Saez, Diana; Mohite, Prashant; Weymann, Alexander; Mansur, Ashham; Zeriouh, Mohamed; Marczin, Nandor; De Robertis, Fabio; Simon, Andre Rüdiger; Popov, Aron-Frederik

    2018-01-01

    Abstract In the context of limited donor pool in cardiothoracic transplantation, utilization of organs from high risk donors, such as suicidal hanging donors, while ensuring safety, is under consideration. We sought to evaluate the outcomes of lung transplantations (LTx) that use organs from this group. Between January 2011 and December 2015, 265 LTx were performed at our center. Twenty-two recipients received lungs from donors after suicidal hanging (group 1). The remaining 243 transplantations were used as a control (group 2). Analysis of recipient and donor characteristics as well as outcomes was performed. No statistically significant difference was found in the donor characteristics between analyzed groups, except for higher incidence of cardiac arrest, younger age and smoking history of hanging donors (P < .001, P = .022 and P = .0042, respectively). Recipient preoperative and perioperative characteristics were comparable. Postoperatively in group 1 there was a higher incidence of extracorporeal life support (27.3 vs 9.1%, P = .019). There were no significant differences in chronic lung allograft dysfunction-free survival between group 1 and 2: 92.3 vs 94% at 1 year and 65.9 vs 75.5% at 3 years (P = .99). The estimated cumulative survival rate was also similar between groups: 68.2 vs 83.2% at 1 year and 68.2% versus 72% at 3 years (P = .3758). Hanging as a donor cause of death is not associated with poor mid-term survival or chronic lung allograft dysfunction following transplantation. These results encourage assessment of lungs from hanging donors, and their consideration for transplantation. PMID:29620623

  2. Leading Efforts to Increase Organ Donation Through Professionalization of Organ Procurement Organizations and Establishment of Organ and Tissue Donor Registries.

    PubMed

    Vertanous, T; Czer, L S C; de Robertis, M; Kiankhooy, A; Kobashigawa, J; Esmailian, F; Trento, A

    2016-01-01

    The influence of new donor registrations through the California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry on the local OneLegacy Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) was examined during a 6-year period. Publicly available data from Donate Life America for California were examined for the 6 calendar years of 2009-2014. Performance data from OneLegacy for the same 6 years for organ donors and number of transplants were also examined. The donor designation rate (DDR) was defined as the rate at which new individuals joined the state donor registry as a percentage of all driver licenses and ID cards issued within a calendar year. The total donor designation (TDD) was defined as the sum of the new and existing people who were registered organ donors. Donor designation share (DDS) was the total number of designated donors as a percentage of all residents of the state who were ≥18 years old. The business practices and educational efforts of the OneLegacy OPO were examined as well. In California, from 2009 through 2014, the DDR was 25.5%-28%. When added to the existing donor registrations, the TDD and DDS increased each year from 2009 through 2014. With the current level of growth, it is projected that California will be able to reach a DDS of 50% by 2017. For the OneLegacy OPO, designated donors from the California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry made up 15% of the total donations in 2009, and 39% of the total donations in 2014, increasing by ∼5% each year since 2009. By increasing professionalization and transparency, and widening its educational and training efforts, OneLegacy was able to take advantage of an increasing percentage of donors who were designated donors and to increase the overall number of donors and organs transplanted, becoming one of the largest OPOs in the nation. This can be a model for OPOs in other donor service areas, and it may set the stage for the United States to serve as an example to the global community in the practice of organ donation. Copyright

  3. Cranial Bone Graft Donor Site Reconstruction.

    PubMed

    Çelik, Muzaffer

    2017-01-01

    My most important concern, in my entire experience with cranial bone grafting procedures, is managing the bone graft donor site such as donor site cavity from harvesting and weakness of the cranium. The most common patient complaint, following cranial bone grafting for aesthetic indications, is the presence of a cavity at the donor site. The authors have managed more than 200 patients since 2001, wherein the cranial bone graft-donor sites were reconstructed with tiny bone chip lamellae harvested from the area adjacent to the donor site. This procedure was associated with a low incidence of patient complaints, thereby suggesting higher patient satisfaction. This approach for cranial bone grafting appears to have a high patient acceptance.

  4. Counted Sb donors in Si quantum dots

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh, Meenakshi; Pacheco, Jose; Bielejec, Edward; Perry, Daniel; Ten Eyck, Gregory; Bishop, Nathaniel; Wendt, Joel; Luhman, Dwight; Carroll, Malcolm; Lilly, Michael

    2015-03-01

    Deterministic control over the location and number of donors is critical for donor spin qubits in semiconductor based quantum computing. We have developed techniques using a focused ion beam and a diode detector integrated next to a silicon MOS single electron transistor to gain such control. With the diode detector operating in linear mode, the numbers of ions implanted have been counted and single ion implants have been detected. Poisson statistics in the number of ions implanted have been observed. Transport measurements performed on samples with counted number of implants have been performed and regular coulomb blockade and charge offsets observed. The capacitances to various gates are found to be in agreement with QCAD simulations for an electrostatically defined dot. This work was performed, in part, at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, a U.S. DOE Office of Basic Energy Sciences user facility. The work was supported by Sandia National Laboratories Directed Research and Development Program. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed-Martin Company, for the U. S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC04-94AL85000.

  5. Postsurgical complications in living-related liver donors.

    PubMed

    Sevmis, S; Karakayali, H; Karakayali, F; Savas, N A; Akkoc, H; Haberal, M

    2008-01-01

    From September 2001 until March 2007, we performed 127 living-donor liver transplantations in our transplantation center. Of 127 donors, 74 were men and 53 women, of overall mean donor age of 35.2 +/- 9.3 years (range, 20-56 years). Ninety-six (75.6%) were first-degree relatives, 18 (14.1%) were second-degree relatives, and 13 (10.3%) were spouses. We performed 34 (26.7%) left hepatic lobectomies, 33 (25.3%) left lateral segmentectomies, and 60 (48%) right hepatic lobectomies. The mean percentages of remnant to donor total liver volume for the right, left, and left-lateral lobectomies were 41.7%, 67.8%, and 75.1%, respectively. The mean length of patient postoperative hospital stay was 7.4 +/- 3.1 days (range, 3-33 days). There was no postoperative mortality. Ten complications occurred in 7 of the 127 donors (5.5%). Most complications were treated with radiologic interventions. In conclusion, donor safety should be the primary focus in living-donor liver transplantation. More experience, improved surgical techniques, and meticulous donor evaluation will help to minimize morbidity and mortality for living liver donors.

  6. Problems of selecting donors for artificial insemination

    PubMed Central

    Schoysman, R

    1975-01-01

    This paper is concerned with only one of the problems encountered in selecting donors for artificial insemination, that of choosing suitable donors. In Belgium medical students have generally been the donors of semen but Dr Schoysman examines the other choices of potential donors and outlines certain criteria for selecting them: these criteria are more explicit than those outlined by Professor Kerr and Miss Rogers on page 32. He also touches on the question of payment to donors. PMID:1165573

  7. The Need for New Donor Stratification to Predict Graft Survival in Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation.

    PubMed

    Yang, Shin Seok; Yang, Jaeseok; Ahn, Curie; Min, Sang Il; Ha, Jongwon; Kim, Sung Joo; Park, Jae Berm

    2017-05-01

    The aim of this study was to determine whether stratification of deceased donors by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) criteria negatively impacts graft survival. We retrospectively reviewed deceased donor and recipient pretransplant variables of kidney transplantations that occurred between February 1995 and December 2009. We compared clinical outcomes between standard criteria donors (SCDs) and expanded criteria donors (ECDs). The deceased donors consisted of 369 patients. A total of 494 transplant recipients were enrolled in this study. Mean age was 41.7±11.4 year (range 18-69) and 273 patients (55.4%) were male. Mean duration of follow-up was 8.8±4.9 years. The recipients from ECD kidneys were 63 patients (12.8%). The overall mean cold ischemia time was 5.7±3.2 hours. Estimated glomerular filtration rate at 1, 2, and 3 years after transplantation were significantly lower in ECD transplants (1 year, 62.2±17.6 vs. 51.0±16.4, p<0.001; 2 year, 62.2±17.6 vs. 51.0±16.4, p=0.001; 3 year, 60.9±23.5 vs. 54.1±18.7, p=0.047). In multivariate analysis, donor age (≥40 years) was an independent risk factor for graft failure. In Kaplan-Meier analyses, there was no significant difference in death-censored graft survival (Log rank test, p>0.05), although patient survival was lower in ECDs than SCDs (Log rank test, p=0.011). Our data demonstrate that stratification by the UNOS criteria does not predict graft survival. In order to expand the donor pool, new criteria for standard/expanded donors need to be modified by regional differences. © Copyright: Yonsei University College of Medicine 2017

  8. Desferrioxamine as an electron donor. Inhibition of membranal lipid peroxidation initiated by H2O2-activated metmyoglobin and other peroxidizing systems.

    PubMed

    Kanner, J; Harel, S

    1987-01-01

    Desferrioxamine (DFO) involvement in several peroxidative systems was studied. These systems included: a) membranal lipid peroxidation initiated by H2O2-activated metmyoglobin (or methemoglobin); b) phenol-red oxidation by activated metmyoglobin or horseradish peroxidase (HRP): c) beta-carotene-linoleate couple oxidation stimulated by lipoxygenase or hemin. Desferrioxamine was found to inhibit all these systems but not ferrioxamine (FO). Phenol-red oxidation by H2O2-horseradish peroxidase was inhibited competitively with DFO. Kinetic studies using the spectra changes in the Soret region of metmyoglobin suggest a mechanism by which H2O2 reacts with the iron-heme to form an intermediate of oxy-ferryl myoglobin that subsequently reacts with DFO to return the activated compound to the resting state. These activities of DFO resemble the reaction of other electron donors.

  9. Comparison of Alternative Hydrogen Donors for Anaerobic Reductive Dechlorination of Tetrachloroethene

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1998-01-01

    feature two - stage anaerobic reductive dechlorination of highly chlorinated compounds coupled with aerobic (sometimes co- metabolic) treatment of the...activity at some naturally attenuated sites. Fathepure and Vogel [76] used a two - stage anaerobic-aerobic reactor system to treat hexachlorobenzene, PCE...Complete removal of the chloroethenes by the two - stage system was observed using pyruvate, formate, or lactose as electron donor for the dechlorinating

  10. The donor star of the X-ray pulsar X1908+075

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martínez-Núñez, S.; Sander, A.; Gímenez-García, A.; Gónzalez-Galán, A.; Torrejón, J. M.; Gónzalez-Fernández, C.; Hamann, W.-R.

    2015-06-01

    High-mass X-ray binaries consist of a massive donor star and a compact object. While several of those systems have been well studied in X-rays, little is known for most of the donor stars as they are often heavily obscured in the optical and ultraviolet regime. There is an opportunity to observe them at infrared wavelengths, however. The goal of this study is to obtain the stellar and wind parameters of the donor star in the X1908+075 high-mass X-ray binary system with a stellar atmosphere model to check whether previous studies from X-ray observations and spectral morphology lead to a sufficient description of the donor star. We obtained H- and K-band spectra of X1908+075 and analysed them with the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) model atmosphere code. For the first time, we calculated a stellar atmosphere model for the donor star, whose main parameters are: Mspec = 15 ± 6 M⊙, T∗ = 23-3+6 kK, log geff = 3.0 ± 0.2 and log L/L⊙ = 4.81 ± 0.25. The obtained parameters point towards an early B-type (B0-B3) star, probably in a supergiant phase. Moreover we determined a more accurate distance to the system of 4.85 ± 0.50 kpc than the previously reported value. Based on observations made with the William Herschel Telescope operated on the island of La Palma by the Isaac Newton Group in the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias.Appendix A is available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

  11. Donor KIR B Genotype Improves Progression-Free Survival of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients Receiving Unrelated Donor Transplantation.

    PubMed

    Bachanova, Veronika; Weisdorf, Daniel J; Wang, Tao; Marsh, Steven G E; Trachtenberg, Elizabeth; Haagenson, Michael D; Spellman, Stephen R; Ladner, Martha; Guethlein, Lisbeth A; Parham, Peter; Miller, Jeffrey S; Cooley, Sarah A

    2016-09-01

    Donor killer immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genotypes are associated with relapse protection and survival after allotransplantation for acute myelogenous leukemia. We examined the possibility of a similar effect in a cohort of 614 non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients receiving unrelated donor (URD) T cell-replete marrow or peripheral blood grafts. Sixty-four percent (n = 396) of donor-recipient pairs were 10/10 allele HLA matched and 26% were 9/10 allele matched. Seventy percent of donors had KIR B/x genotype; the others had KIR A/A genotype. NHL patients receiving 10/10 HLA-matched URD grafts with KIR B/x donors experienced significantly lower relapse at 5 years (26%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 21% to 32% versus 37%; 95% CI, 27% to 46%; P = .05) compared with KIR A/A donors, resulting in improved 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) (35%; 95% CI, 26% to 44% versus 22%; 95% CI, 11% to 35%; P = .007). In multivariate analysis, use of KIR B/x donors was associated with significantly reduced relapse risk (relative risk [RR], .63, P = .02) and improved PFS (RR, .71, P = .008). The relapse protection afforded by KIR B/x donors was not observed in HLA-mismatched transplantations and was not specific to any particular KIR-B gene. Selecting 10/10 HLA-matched and KIR B/x donors should benefit patients with NHL receiving URD allogeneic transplantation. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Intention of donors to re-donate livers after living donor liver transplantation in a liver transplant center in Asia.

    PubMed

    Chang, Yuan-Min; Chung, Kuo-Piao; Chen, Teng-Wei; Hsieh, Chung-Bao

    2014-08-25

    The aim of this study was to examine donor complications, satisfaction with the liver donation process, and factors associated with re-donation. To address these issues, we conducted a cross-sectional study to assess donor complications and used questionnaires (including the Likert scale for donation satisfaction and simple yes/no responses for willingness to re-donate) in 110 adults who underwent living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) at Tri-Service General Hospital. The following clinical characteristics were determined: donation volume; first-degree relative; education; duration of hospital stay; occupation (donor-associated); MELD score; Child classification; complications; outcome (recipient-associated); and graft/recipient weight ratio (donor-recipient-associated). Descriptive statistics and mean values were compared using t-tests and p values <0.05 were considered significant. Twelve donors among 110 participants experienced complications above Clavien grade II. No surgical mortalities were observed. There were no differences in age, gender, left/right liver graft, donation volume, length of hospital stay, or satisfaction in donor complications. Ninety-four donors had satisfaction (score=4 and 5) about the donation process and no dissatisfaction was reported (score=1). Based on multivariate analysis, the intention to re-donate among liver donors was related to first-degree relatives, donor satisfaction, and recipient complications (P<0.05). Factors associated with a willingness to re-donate included first-degree relatives of the recipient, donor satisfaction with the donation process, and recipient complications. This study not only showed the safety of liver donation, but also had a positive effect on the intention to re-donate to enhance motivation for liver donation and increase the recruitment of living liver donors.

  13. Why search for a sperm donor online? The experiences of women searching for and contacting sperm donors on the internet.

    PubMed

    Jadva, Vasanti; Freeman, Tabitha; Tranfield, Erika; Golombok, Susan

    2018-06-01

    Whilst studies have examined the experiences of women who use clinic donors, to date there has been limited research investigating women's motivations and experiences of searching for a sperm donor online. A total of 429 women looking for a sperm donor on Pride Angel (a website that facilitates contact between donors and recipients) completed an online survey. Fifty-eight percent (249) saw advantages of obtaining donated sperm online with the most common advantage reported as being able to connect with and meet the donor (n = 50 (24%)). A third (n = 157 (37%)) of the participants gave disadvantages, the most common reported was encountering 'dishonest donors' (n = 63 (40%)). Most recipients (n = 181 (61%)) wanted the donor to be 'just a donor' (i.e. to provide sperm and have no further contact). Whilst it was important for recipients to know the identity of the donor, some did not see this as important for the child and thus the level of information that parents have about the donor, and that which the child has, can differ. Finding a donor online blurs the distinction between categories of 'anonymous', 'known' and 'identity release' donations. Whilst the survey had a large sample size, the representativeness of the sample is not known.

  14. Generalization of the Förster resonance energy transfer theory for quantum mechanical modulation of the donor-acceptor coupling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jang, Seogjoo

    2007-11-01

    The Förster resonance energy transfer theory is generalized for inelastic situations with quantum mechanical modulation of the donor-acceptor coupling. Under the assumption that the modulations are independent of the electronic excitation of the donor and the acceptor, a general rate expression is derived, which involves two dimensional frequency-domain convolution of the donor emission line shape, the acceptor absorption line shape, and the spectral density of the modulation of the donor-acceptor coupling. For two models of modulation, detailed rate expressions are derived. The first model is the fluctuation of the donor-acceptor distance, approximated as a quantum harmonic oscillator coupled to a bath of other quantum harmonic oscillators. The distance fluctuation results in additional terms in the rate, which in the small fluctuation limit depend on the inverse eighth power of the donor-acceptor distance. The second model is the fluctuation of the torsional angle between the two transition dipoles, which is modeled as a quantum harmonic oscillator coupled to a bath of quantum harmonic oscillators and causes sinusoidal modulation of the donor-acceptor coupling. The rate expression has new elastic and inelastic terms, depending sensitively on the value of the minimum energy torsional angle. Experimental implications of the present theory and some of the open theoretical issues are discussed.

  15. Inactivation of high-risk human papillomaviruses by Holder pasteurization: implications for donor human milk banking.

    PubMed

    Donalisio, Manuela; Cagno, Valeria; Vallino, Marta; Moro, Guido E; Arslanoglu, Sertac; Tonetto, Paola; Bertino, Enrico; Lembo, David

    2014-01-01

    Several studies have recently reported the detection of oncogenic human papillomaviruses (HPV) in human milk of a minority of lactating mothers. These findings raised safety concerns in the context of human donor milk banking given the potential risk of HPV transmission to recipient infants. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the Holder pasteurization, a procedure currently in use in human donor milk banks for milk pasteurization, completely inactivates high-risk and low-risk HPV. HPV pseudoviruses (PsV) were generated, spiked into cell culture medium or donor human milk and subjected to thermal inactivation. HPV PsV infectivity and morphological integrity was analyzed by cell-based assay and by electron microscopy, respectively. The Holder pasteurization completely inactivated the infectivity of high-risk (types 16 and 18) and low-risk (type 6) HPV both in cell culture medium and in human milk causing PsV particle disassembly. The results presented here indicate that the Holder pasteurization is an efficient procedure to inactivate high-risk and low-risk HPV thus preventing the potential risk of their transmission through human donor milk.

  16. 21 CFR 630.6 - Donor notification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR BLOOD, BLOOD COMPONENTS, AND BLOOD DERIVATIVES § 630.6 Donor notification. (a) Notification of donors. You, an establishment that collects blood or blood components, must make reasonable... of donation of blood or blood components that the donor should not donate in the future; (3) Where...

  17. 21 CFR 630.6 - Donor notification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... of donation of blood or blood components that the donor should not donate in the future; (3) Where... GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR BLOOD, BLOOD COMPONENTS, AND BLOOD DERIVATIVES § 630.6 Donor notification. (a) Notification of donors. You, an establishment that collects blood or blood components, must make reasonable...

  18. 21 CFR 630.6 - Donor notification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... of donation of blood or blood components that the donor should not donate in the future; (3) Where... GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR BLOOD, BLOOD COMPONENTS, AND BLOOD DERIVATIVES § 630.6 Donor notification. (a) Notification of donors. You, an establishment that collects blood or blood components, must make reasonable...

  19. 21 CFR 630.6 - Donor notification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... of donation of blood or blood components that the donor should not donate in the future; (3) Where... GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR BLOOD, BLOOD COMPONENTS, AND BLOOD DERIVATIVES § 630.6 Donor notification. (a) Notification of donors. You, an establishment that collects blood or blood components, must make reasonable...

  20. 21 CFR 630.6 - Donor notification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... of donation of blood or blood components that the donor should not donate in the future; (3) Where... GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR BLOOD, BLOOD COMPONENTS, AND BLOOD DERIVATIVES § 630.6 Donor notification. (a) Notification of donors. You, an establishment that collects blood or blood components, must make reasonable...

  1. Transforming the "unacceptable" donor: outcomes from the adoption of a standardized donor management technique.

    PubMed

    Wheeldon, D R; Potter, C D; Oduro, A; Wallwork, J; Large, S R

    1995-01-01

    Donor management remains one of the most neglected areas of transplantation. A comprehensive donor management regimen has been developed. The results of the application of this strategy form the basis of this report. Full hemodynamic data were collected from 150 multiorgan donors between October 1990 and August 1993. The data were collected at the time of donor team arrival, after insertion of a pulmonary artery floatation catheter and immediately before cardiac excision. Fifty-two donors (35%) fell well outside our minimum acceptance criteria on arrival. Twenty-one of fifty-two had a mean arterial pressure less than 55 mm Hg (mean 47 mm Hg) despite inotropic support in most cases; 10 of 52 had a central venous pressure greater than 15 mm Hg (mean 18.0 mm Hg); 2 of 52 had a high inotrope requirement greater than 20 micrograms/kg/min (mean 25 micrograms/kg/min). After the insertion of a pulmonary artery floatation catheter, an additional 13 of 52 donors were found to have a pulmonary capillary wedge pressure greater than 15 mm Hg (mean 19.8 mm Hg), and the final 6 of 52 had a low left ventricular stroke work index, less than 15 gm (mean 12.8 gm). After optimal management, including hormone replacement 44 of 52 donors yielded transplantable organs (29 hearts, 15 heart and lung blocks). Thirty-seven of forty-four patients (84%) were alive and well from 13 to 48 months after transplantation. There were five early deaths (11%) caused by infection (heart), adult respiratory distress syndrome (heart), arrhythmia (heart), cerebrovascular event (heart and lung), and infection (heart, lung, and liver). Two late deaths (5%) occurred as a result of tamponade (3 months, heart) and infection (14 months, heart and lung). Eight of fifty-two organs were still unsuitable for transplantation after optimum management during the splanchnic dissection as a result of inotrope dependency (n = 4), left ventricular hypertrophy (n = 2), and coronary artery disease (n = 2). The data indicate

  2. Deceased Organ Donor Management: Does Hospital Volume Matter?

    PubMed

    Patel, Madhukar S; Mohebali, Jahan; Sally, Mitchell; Groat, Tahnee; Vagefi, Parsia A; Chang, David C; Malinoski, Darren J

    2017-03-01

    Identification of strategies to improve organ donor use remains imperative. Despite the association between hospital volume and outcomes for many common disease processes, there have been no studies that assess the impact of organ donor hospital volume on organ yield. A prospective observational study of all deceased organ donors managed by 10 organ procurement organizations across United Network for Organ Sharing regions 4, 5, and 6 was conducted from February 2012 to June 2015. To study the impact of hospital volume on organ yield, each donor was placed into a hospital-volume quartile based on the number of donors managed by their hospital. Stepwise logistic regression was used to identify the independent effect of hospital volume on the primary outcomes measure of having ≥4 organs transplanted per donor. Data from 4,427 donors across 384 hospitals were collected and hospitals were assigned quartiles based on their volume of deceased donors. Hospitals managed a mean ± SD of 3.3 ± 5.2 donors per hospital per year. After adjusting for age, ethnicity, donor type, blood type, BMI, creatinine, and organ procurement organization/donor service area, being managed in hospitals within the highest volume quartile remained a positive independent predictor of ≥4 organs transplanted per donor (odds ratio = 1.52; 95% CI 1.29 to 1.79; p < 0.001). Deceased organ donor hospital volume impacts organ yield, with the highest-volume centers being 52% more likely to achieve ≥4 organs transplanted per donor. Efforts should be made to share practices from these higher-volume centers and consideration should be given to centralization of donor care. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  3. Donor site reconstitution for ear reconstruction.

    PubMed

    Fattah, Adel; Sebire, Neil J; Bulstrode, Neil W

    2010-09-01

    Current techniques of autologous ear reconstruction involve the soft tissue coverage of a carved costal cartilage framework. However, assessment of the morbidity associated with this donor site has been little documented. This study describes a method to reconstruct the defect and analyses the outcomes with or without donor site reconstitution. The donor site was reconstituted by wrapping morcelised cartilage in a vicryl mesh. Twenty-one patients with reconstitution and nine without were recruited to the study. Scar quality and length, dimensions of donor defect and visible deformity were recorded according to a modified Vancouver scar scale. Patients were also assessed by the SF36 questionnaire, a well-validated health survey. In a subset of our study group, we assessed the fate of the donor site reconstitution by direct visualisation in situ and histological analysis. Fifteen donor sites of patients without donor site reconstitution were compared to 23 reconstructed donor sites. In those without, all had a palpable defect with nearly half exhibiting visible chest deformity. In contrast, those that had rib reconstitution did not demonstrate significant chest wall deformity. Intraoperative examination demonstrated formation of a neo-rib, histologically proven to comprise hyaline cartilage admixed with fibrous tissue. Analysis of SF36 results showed a higher satisfaction in the reconstituted group, but in both groups, the donor site was of little overall morbidity. Although there is little difference between the groups in terms of subjectively perceived benefit, rib reconstitution is objectively associated with better costal margin contour and less chest wall deformity. Copyright 2009 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Effect of donor-recipient age gradient on graft outcomes in deceased donor liver transplantation.

    PubMed

    Shin, M; Kim, J M; Park, J B; Kwon, Ch H D; Kim, S-J; Joh, J-W

    2013-10-01

    Donor age is a well-known factor influencing graft function after deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT). However, the effect of donors older than recipients on graft outcomes remains unclear. This study investigated the relationship between the donor-recipient age gradient (DRAG) and posttransplant outcomes after DDLT. We included 164 adult recipients who underwent DDLT between May 1996 and April 2011. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the value of DRAG: Negative (DRAG -20 to -1; n = 99) versus positive (DRAG 0-20; n = 65). Medical records were reviewed and laboratory data were retrospectively collected. The median age of donors and recipients was 43 (range, 10-80) and 46 (range, 19-67) years, respectively. The mean follow-up time was 57.4 months. A positive DRAG had a negative effect on levels of alkaline phosphatase until 2 weeks after transplantation. However, the positive group showed a lower incidence of hepatitis B viral disease recurrence. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year graft survival rates were 80.4%, 76.8%, and 71.4% in the negative group, and 65.8%, 58.4%, and 56.3% in the positive group, respectively. The positive DRAG group showed significantly inferior graft survival compared with the negative DRAG group (P = .036). This study demonstrated that donors older than recipients had a deleterious effect on graft outcomes. DRAG could be a meaningful determinant of graft survival among DDLT recipients. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. A Value-Added Framework for Analyzing Electronic and Print Publishing.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perritt, Henry H., Jr.

    1991-01-01

    Discusses changes in the publishing industry resulting from digital electronic networks and optical storage technologies, and explains attributes of information products as types of value for both print and electronic contexts. Electronic products necessary for a shift from paper to electronic formats are identified, and legal issues are…

  6. 78 FR 66366 - Draft Guidance for Industry: Use of Donor Screening Tests To Test Donors of Human Cells, Tissues...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-11-05

    ...The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of a draft document entitled ``Guidance for Industry: Use of Donor Screening Tests to Test Donors of Human Cells, Tissues, and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products (HCT/Ps) for Infection with Treponema pallidum (Syphilis),'' dated October 2013. The draft guidance document provides establishments that make donor eligibility determinations for donors of HCT/Ps (HCT/P Establishments), with updated recommendations concerning donor testing for evidence of Treponema pallidum (T. pallidum) infection, the etiologic agent of syphilis. HCT/P Establishments must, as required under Federal regulations, test a donor specimen for evidence of T. pallidum infection using appropriate FDA-licensed, approved, or cleared donor screening tests, in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, unless an exception to this requirement applies. The draft guidance clarifies that FDA does not consider diagnostic tests or pre-amendment devices (which have not been licensed, approved, or cleared) to be adequate for use in donor testing for T. pallidum infection under the criteria specified in Federal regulations. The recommendations in this guidance, when finalized, will supersede those recommendations for testing HCT/P donors for evidence of T. pallidum infection contained in the document entitled ``Guidance for Industry: Eligibility Determination for Donors of Human Cells, Tissues, and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products (HCT/Ps),'' dated August 2007.

  7. The expectations and attitudes of patients with chronic kidney disease toward living kidney donor transplantation: a thematic synthesis of qualitative studies.

    PubMed

    Hanson, Camilla S; Chadban, Steve J; Chapman, Jeremy R; Craig, Jonathan C; Wong, Germaine; Ralph, Angelique F; Tong, Allison

    2015-03-01

    Living kidney donation offers superior outcomes over deceased organ donation, but incurs psychosocial and ethical challenges for recipients because of the risks imposed on their donor. We aimed to describe the beliefs, attitudes, and expectations of patients with chronic kidney disease toward receiving a living kidney donor transplant. We conducted a systematic review of qualitative studies of patients' attitudes toward living kidney donation using a comprehensive literature search of electronic databases to February 2013. The findings were analyzed using thematic synthesis. Thirty-nine studies (n ≥ 1791 participants) were included. We identified six themes: prioritizing own health (better graft survival, accepting risk, and desperate aversion to dialysis), guilt and responsibility (jeopardizing donor health, anticipating donor regret, and causing donor inconvenience), ambivalence and uncertainty (doubting transplant urgency, insufficient information, confronted by unfamiliarity, and prognostic uncertainty), seeking decisional validation (a familial obligation, alleviating family burden, reciprocal benefits for donors, respecting donor autonomy, external reassurance, and religious approval), needing social support (avoiding family conflict, unrelenting indebtedness, and emotional isolation), and cautious donor recruitment (self-advocacy, lacking self-confidence, avoiding donor coercion, emotional vulnerability, respecting cultural, and religious taboos). Enhanced education and psychosocial support may help clarify, validate, and address patients' concerns regarding donor outcomes, guilt, relationship tensions, and donor recruitment. This may encourage informed decision-making, increase access to living kidney donation, and improve psychosocial adjustment for transplant recipients.

  8. Ionospheric tomography using ADS-B signals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cushley, A. C.; Noël, J.-M.

    2014-07-01

    Numerical modeling has demonstrated that Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) signals can be used to reconstruct two-dimensional (2-D) electron density maps of the ionosphere using techniques for computerized tomography. Ray tracing techniques were used to determine the characteristics of individual waves, including the wave path and the state of polarization at the satellite receiver. The modeled Faraday rotation was computed and converted to total electron content (TEC) along the raypaths. The resulting TEC was used as input for computerized ionospheric tomography (CIT) using algebraic reconstruction technique. This study concentrated on reconstructing mesoscale structures 25-100 km in horizontal extent. The primary scientific interest of this study was to show that ADS-B signals can be used as a new source of data for CIT to image the ionosphere and to obtain a better understanding of magneto-ionic wave propagation.

  9. Towards a standardized informed consent procedure for live donor nephrectomy: What do surgeons tell their donors?

    PubMed

    Kortram, Kirsten; Ijzermans, Jan N M; Dor, Frank J M F

    2016-08-01

    Living kidney donors comprise a unique group of "patients", undergoing an operation for the benefit of others. The informed consent process is therefore valued differently. Although this is a team effort, the surgeon is responsible for performing the donor nephrectomy, and often the one held accountable, should adverse events occur. Although there is some consensus on how the informed consent procedure should be arranged, practices vary. The aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical informed consent procedure for live donor nephrectomy, with special regards to disclosure of complications. A web-based survey was sent to all kidney transplant surgeons (n = 50) in eight transplant centers with questions regarding the local procedure and disclosure of specific details. Response rate was 98% (n = 49), of which 32 (65%) were involved in living donor education; overall, transplant- (50%), vascular- (31%), and abdominal surgeons (13%), and urologists (6%) performed donor nephrectomies in the eight centers. Informed consent procedures varied, ranging from assumed to signed consent. Bleeding was the only complication every surgeon mentioned. Risk of death was always mentioned by 16 surgeons (50%), sometimes by 13 (41%), three surgeons (9%) never disclosed this disastrous complication. Reported mortality rates ranged from 0.003% to 0.1%. Mentioning frequencies for all other complications varied. Important complications are not always disclosed during the surgical informed consent process for live donor nephrectomy. Informed consent procedures vary. To optimally prepare living kidney donors for the procedure, a standardized informed consent procedure for live donor nephrectomy is highly recommended. Copyright © 2016 IJS Publishing Group Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation donor sources in the 21st century: choosing the ideal donor when a perfect match does not exist.

    PubMed

    Kekre, Natasha; Antin, Joseph H

    2014-07-17

    Most patients who require allogeneic stem cell transplantation do not have a matched sibling donor, and many patients do not have a matched unrelated donor. In an effort to increase the applicability of transplantation, alternative donors such as mismatched adult unrelated donors, haploidentical related donors, and umbilical cord blood stem cell products are frequently used when a well matched donor is unavailable. We do not yet have the benefit of randomized trials comparing alternative donor stem cell sources to inform the choice of donor; however, the existing data allow some inferences to be made on the basis of existing observational and phase 2 studies. All 3 alternative donor sources can provide effective lymphohematopoietic reconstitution, but time to engraftment, graft failure rate, graft-versus-host disease, transplant-related mortality, and relapse risk vary by donor source. These factors all contribute to survival outcomes and an understanding of them should help guide clinicians when choosing among alternative donor sources when a matched related or matched unrelated donor is not available. © 2014 by The American Society of Hematology.

  11. Harvests from bone marrow donors who weigh less than their recipients are associated with a significantly increased probability of a suboptimal harvest yield.

    PubMed

    Anthias, Chloe; Billen, Annelies; Arkwright, Rebecca; Szydlo, Richard M; Madrigal, J Alejandro; Shaw, Bronwen E

    2016-05-01

    Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of bone marrow (BM) harvest yield in determining transplant outcomes, but little is known regarding donor and procedure variables associated with achievement of an optimal yield. We hypothesized that donor demographics and variables relating to the procedure were likely to impact the yield (total nucleated cells [TNCs]/kg recipient weight) and quality (TNCs/mL) of the harvest. To test our hypothesis, BM harvests of 110 consecutive unrelated donors were evaluated. The relationship between donor or procedure characteristics and the BM harvest yield was examined. The relationship between donor and recipient weight significantly influenced the harvest yield; only 14% of BM harvests from donors who weighed less than their recipient achieved a TNC count of more than 4 × 10(8) /kg compared to 56% of harvests from donors heavier than their recipient (p = 0.001). Higher-volume harvests were significantly less likely to achieve an optimal yield than lower-volume harvests (32% vs. 78%; p = 0.007), and higher-volume harvests contained significantly fewer TNCs/mL, indicating peripheral blood contamination. BM harvest quality also varied significantly between collection centers adding to recent concerns regarding maintenance of BM harvest expertise within the transplant community. Since the relationship between donor and recipient weight has a critical influence yield, we recommend prioritizing this secondary donor characteristic when selecting from multiple well-matched donors. Given the declining number of requests for BM harvests, it is crucial that systems are developed to train operators and ensure expertise in this procedure is retained. © 2016 AABB.

  12. [Recovery characteristic of donor's and receptor's renal function from age over 55 years living donors donate kidneys].

    PubMed

    Hu, Xiao-Peng; Yin, Hang; Zhang, Xiao-Dong; Wang, Wei; Ren, Liang; Yang, Xiao-Yong; Li, Xiao-Bei; Liu, Hang; Wang, Yong

    2009-10-20

    To observe and research clinical characteristics and curative effect and safety of renal transplantation from living elderly donors donating kidneys. Retrospective study on the 19 living kidney donors who were over 55 years old and on the renal transplantation operations completed by our center for the past few years. Among the 19 donors, with an average age of 58 years old. Their mean creatinine clearance was 81.7 +/- 2.2 ml/min. Among the 19 acceptors, with an average age of 34 years old. All kidney before the open circulation transplant performed routine 0 point puncture and histological examination. All donors smoothly spent their perioperative period without any surgical complications. All the donors keep their blood Cr in a normal range one week after the operation. There was no significant difference between posttransplantation one week and six month and one year in blood Cr and Ccr. Blood pressure and blood sugar didn't not have significant changes, urine protein(-). All receptors' renal functions recovered in early stages without DGF. 7 receptors who had Ccr lower than 80 ml/min had their blood Cr decreased slowly. Among the 19 kidneys donated, 3 donors' glomerulosclerosises were higher than 10 percent. The kidney source shortage is the main factor that restricts the development of the renal transplantation currently, undoubtedly, the application of elderly donors will expand the kidney source and save more uremic patients. Renal transplantation is safe and feasible with the help of living elderly donors.

  13. Building Better Donors: A Well-Informed Donor is an Asset to Any Institution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Minter, Michele

    2011-01-01

    Billionaire philanthropists compare notes in private with their peers. Whether experienced philanthropists or first-time donors, they all want their gifts to make a difference, and they are hungry for knowledge about how to be effective donors. They want to be educated about philanthropy. Educational institutions are experts at making the case for…

  14. Donor anxiety, needle pain, and syncopal reactions combine to determine retention: a path analysis of two-year donor return data.

    PubMed

    France, Christopher R; France, Janis L; Wissel, Mary Ellen; Ditto, Blaine; Dickert, Tara; Himawan, Lina K

    2013-09-01

    Efforts to expand the donor pool by recruiting younger donors have resulted in higher numbers of initial donations, but retention of young donors continues to be challenging. Path analysis was used to examine the simultaneous relationships among syncopal reactions, donation anxiety, needle pain, donor satisfaction, and donation intention in predicting repeat donation. Participants included 421 first- and second-time donors recruited for a study comparing the effects of predonation water loading with and without the use of applied muscle tension during donation (52% female, 60.8% first-time donor, mean age 20.3 years). For this longitudinal follow-up study, donor database records were accessed 2 years after the index donation to assess repeat donation. Results of a series of path analyses demonstrated the influential role of donor anxiety in shaping donor retention (final model χ(2) = 35.75, root mean square error of approximation 0.03, comparative fit index 0.98, weighted root mean square residual 0.74). First, anxiety exerted a direct negative influence on donation intention, the proximal and sole direct predictor of repeat donation. Second, anxiety increased the likelihood of donor-reported needle pain, adversely affecting donation satisfaction and, subsequently, donation intention. Finally, anxiety was associated with donor ratings of syncopal reactions through its impact on needle pain, which also contributed to decreased donation intention. These results provide novel evidence that donation anxiety plays a central role in shaping future donation behavior. Individual differences in anxiety must be considered when developing and testing strategies to enhance blood donor retention. © 2013 American Association of Blood Banks.

  15. Trends in organ donor management: 2002 to 2012.

    PubMed

    Callahan, Devon S; Kim, Dennis; Bricker, Scott; Neville, Angela; Putnam, Brant; Smith, Jennifer; Bongard, Frederic; Plurad, David

    2014-10-01

    Refinements in donor management have resulted in increased numbers and quality of grafts after neurologic death. We hypothesize that the increased use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been accompanied by improved outcomes over time. Using the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network donor database, all brain-dead donors procured from July 1, 2001 to June 30, 2012 were studied. Hormone replacement therapy was identified by an infusion of thyroid hormone. An expanded criteria donor was defined as age 60 years or older. Incidence of HRT administration and number of donors and organs recovered were calculated. Using the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network thoracic recipient database transplant list, wait times were examined. There were 74,180 brain-dead donors studied. Hormone replacement therapy use increased substantially from 25.6% to 72.3% of donors. However, mean number of organs procured per donor remained static (3.51 to 3.50; p = 0.083), and the rate of high-yield donors decreased (46.4% to 43.1%; p < 0.001). Incidence of traumatic brain injury donors decreased (42.1% to 33.9%; p < 0.001) relative to an increased number of expanded criteria donors (22.1% to 26%). Despite this, there has been an increase in the raw number of donors (20,558 to 24,308; p < 0.001) and organs (5,857 to 6,945; p < 0.001). There has been an increase in organs per traumatic brain injury donor (4.02 to 4.12; p = 0.002) and a decrease in days on the waiting list (462.2 to 170.4 days; p < 0.001) for a thoracic transplant recipient. The marked increase in the use of HRT in the management of brain-dead donors has been accompanied by increased organ availability overall. Potential mechanisms might include successful conversion of previously unacceptable donors and improved recovery in certain subsets of donors. Copyright © 2014 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Secrets and disclosure in donor conception.

    PubMed

    Frith, Lucy; Blyth, Eric; Crawshaw, Marilyn; van den Akker, Olga

    2018-01-01

    This article considers the disclosure, sharing and exchange of information on being donor conceived within families, drawing on data from a study undertaken with donor-conceived adults registered with UK Donor Link (a voluntary DNA-linking register). This paper considers the narratives of how respondents found out they were donor-conceived and what events triggered disclosure of this information. This paper then goes on to examine the role secrecy played in their family life and uses the concept of 'display' to explore how secrecy affected their relationships with their immediate and extended family. Secrets are notoriously 'leaky' and we found complex patterns of knowing and uncertainty about whom in the family knew that the person was donor-conceived. We argue that what is kept secret and from whom provides insights into the multifaceted web of social relationships that can be created by donor-conception, and how knowledge can be managed and controlled in attempts to display and maintain family narratives of biogenetic connection. © 2017 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness.

  17. Protocol for a national blood transfusion data warehouse from donor to recipient.

    PubMed

    van Hoeven, Loan R; Hooftman, Babette H; Janssen, Mart P; de Bruijne, Martine C; de Vooght, Karen M K; Kemper, Peter; Koopman, Maria M W

    2016-08-04

    Blood transfusion has health-related, economical and safety implications. In order to optimise the transfusion chain, comprehensive research data are needed. The Dutch Transfusion Data warehouse (DTD) project aims to establish a data warehouse where data from donors and transfusion recipients are linked. This paper describes the design of the data warehouse, challenges and illustrative applications. Quantitative data on blood donors (eg, age, blood group, antibodies) and products (type of product, processing, storage time) are obtained from the national blood bank. These are linked to data on the transfusion recipients (eg, transfusions administered, patient diagnosis, surgical procedures, laboratory parameters), which are extracted from hospital electronic health records. Expected scientific contributions are illustrated for 4 applications: determine risk factors, predict blood use, benchmark blood use and optimise process efficiency. For each application, examples of research questions are given and analyses planned. The DTD project aims to build a national, continuously updated transfusion data warehouse. These data have a wide range of applications, on the donor/production side, recipient studies on blood usage and benchmarking and donor-recipient studies, which ultimately can contribute to the efficiency and safety of blood transfusion. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  18. Risk appreciation for living kidney donors: another new subspecialty?

    PubMed

    Steiner, Robert W

    2004-05-01

    Quantitative estimates of the risk of end stage renal disease (ESRD) for living donors would seem essential to defensible donor selection practices, as the 'safe/unsafe' model for donor selection is not viable. All kidney donors take risk, and four fundamental, qualitative criteria should instead be used to decide when donor rejection is justified. These criteria are lack of donor education about transplantation, donor irrationality, lack of free and voluntary donation, and/or that donor acceptance would unavoidably threaten the public trust or the integrity of the center's selection procedures. Such a data-based selection policy, with explicit documentation of unbiased and comprehensive donor education, will help neutralize the center's self interest in a more defensible way than by rejecting 'complicated' kidney donors out of hand, and in a more practical way than by the creation of center-independent donor counselors or waiting for donor registries to come to fruition. Living kidney donors with isolated medical abnormalities comprise a sizable subset of at risk donors for whom center acceptance practices vary markedly. This population provides a paradigm opportunity for quantitative risk estimation and counseling.

  19. Rich Donors, Poor Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, M. A.

    2012-01-01

    The shifting ideological winds of foreign aid donors have driven their policy towards governments in poor countries. Donors supported state-led development policies in poor countries from the 1940s to the 1970s; market and private-sector driven reforms during the 1980s and 1990s; and returned their attention to the state with an emphasis on…

  20. Kidney Transplantation From Donors with Hepatitis B

    PubMed Central

    Veroux, Massimiliano; Ardita, Vincenzo; Corona, Daniela; Giaquinta, Alessia; Ekser, Burcin; Sinagra, Nunziata; Zerbo, Domenico; Patanè, Marco; Gozzo, Cecilia; Veroux, Pierfrancesco

    2016-01-01

    The growing demand for organ donors to supply the increasing number of patients on kidney waiting lists has led most transplant centers to develop protocols that allow safe use of organs from donors with special clinical situations previously regarded as contraindications. Deceased donors with previous hepatitis B may be a safe resource to increase the donor pool even if there is still controversy among transplantation centers regarding the use of hepatitis B surface antigen-positive donors for renal transplantation. However, when allocated to serology-matched recipients, kidney transplantation from donors with hepatitis B may result in excellent short-term outcome. Many concerns may arise in the long-term outcome, and studies must address the evaluation of the progression of liver disease and the rate of reactivation of liver disease in the recipients. Accurate selection and matching of both donor and recipient and correct post-transplant management are needed to achieve satisfactory long-term outcomes. PMID:27123988