Explore the vast range of titles available.

To analyze the surgical outcomes of petalloid multilayered inverted internal limiting flap using perfluorocarbon liquid (PFCL) in extra-large macular holes (MHs) (minimum linear diameter >550 µm and basal diameter [BD] >1000 µm). This was a prospective interventional series of 103 eyes of 99 patients with extra-large MHs which were treated with 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy, petalloid multilayered inverted internal limiting membrane flaps under PFCL and 15% perfluoropropane (C3F8) gas tamponade. Intraoperative optical coherence tomography (i-OCT) was used to confirm correct positioning of flaps. Follow-up was at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months postoperatively. Mean age of patients was 58.282 ± 16.3 years. Mean preoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was logarithm of minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) 1.206 ± 0.384, and the value at the third month was logMAR 0.793 ± 0.337. Mean minimum linear diameter (MLD) was 711.96 ± 270.744 µm. MLD ranged from 557µm (minimum MLD) to 2657 µm (maximum MLD). Mean BD was 1301.165 ± 425.914 µm. Type 1 closure was seen in 92.2% eyes, 5.8% eyes had type 2 closure, and 1.9% eyes had type 3 closure. Eyes with both type 1 closure (P = 0.001) and type 2 closure (P = 0.009) showed a significant improvement in BCVA postoperatively at 3 months. Petalloid multilayered inverted internal limiting membrane flap under PFCL technique with adjunctive use of i-OCT showed improved morphological and functional outcomes in the treatment of extra-large MHs. We present here a large series of extra-large MHs, in which a novel technique of petalloid multilayered inverted ILM flaps was used.

Atmospheric observations and trends are presented for the high molecular weight perfluorocarbons (PFCs): decafluorobutane (C.sub.4 F.sub.10 ), dodecafluoropentane (C.sub.5 F.sub.12 ), tetradecafluorohexane (C.sub.6 F.sub.14 ), hexadecafluoroheptane (C.sub.7 F.sub.16) and octadecafluorooctane (C.sub.8 F.sub.18). Their atmospheric histories are based on measurements of 36 Northern Hemisphere and 46 Southern Hemisphere archived air samples collected between 1973 to 2011 using the Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment (AGAGE) \"Medusa\" preconcentration gas chromatography-mass spectrometry systems. A new calibration scale was prepared for each PFC, with estimated accuracies of 6.8% for C.sub.4 F.sub.10, 7.8% for C.sub.5 F.sub.12, 4.0% for C.sub.6 F.sub.14, 6.6% for C.sub.7 F.sub.16 and 7.9% for C.sub.8 F.sub.18 . Based on our observations the 2011 globally averaged dry air mole fractions of these heavy PFCs are: 0.17 parts-per-trillion (ppt, i.e., parts per 10.sup.12) for C.sub.4 F.sub.10, 0.12 ppt for C.sub.5 F.sub.12, 0.27 ppt for C.sub.6 F.sub.14, 0.12 ppt for C.sub.7 F.sub.16 and 0.09 ppt for C.sub.8 F.sub.18 . These atmospheric mole fractions combine to contribute to a global average radiative forcing of 0.35 mW m.sup.-2, which is 6% of the total anthropogenic PFC radiative forcing (Montzka and Reimann, 2011; Oram et al., 2012). The growth rates of the heavy perfluorocarbons were largest in the late 1990s peaking at 6.2 parts per quadrillion (ppq, i.e., parts per 10.sup.15) per year (yr) for C.sub.4 F.sub.10, at 5.0 ppq yr.sup.-1 for C.sub.5 F.sub.12 and 16.6 ppq yr.sup.-1 for C.sub.6 F.sub.14 and in the early 1990s for C.sub.7 F.sub.16 at 4.7 ppq yr.sup.-1 and in the mid 1990s for C.sub.8 F.sub.18 at 4.8 ppq yr.sup.-1 . The 2011 globally averaged mean atmospheric growth rates of these PFCs are subsequently lower at 2.2 ppq yr.sup.-1 for C.sub.4 F.sub.10, 1.4 ppq yr.sup.-1 for C.sub.5 F.sub.12, 5.0 ppq yr.sup.-1 for C.sub.6 F.sub.14, 3.4 ppq yr.sup.-1 for C.sub.7 F.sub.16 and 0.9 ppq yr.sup.-1 for C.sub.8 F.sub.18 . The more recent slowdown in the growth rates suggests that emissions are declining as compared to the 1980s and 1990s.

Developing biocompatible, synthetic oxygen carriers is a consistently challenging task that researchers have been pursuing for decades. Perfluorocarbons (PFC) are fascinating compounds with a huge capacity to dissolve gases, where the respiratory gases are of special interest for current investigations. Although largely chemically and biologically inert, pure PFCs are not suitable for injection into the vascular system. Extensive research created stable PFC nano-emulsions that avoid (i) fast clearance from the blood and (ii) long organ retention time, which leads to undesired transient side effects. PFC-based oxygen carriers (PFOCs) show a variety of application fields, which are worthwhile to investigate. To understand the difficulties that challenge researchers in creating formulations for clinical applications, this review provides the physical background of PFCs’ properties and then illuminates the reasons for instabilities of PFC emulsions. By linking the unique properties of PFCs and PFOCs to physiology, it elaborates on the response, processing and dysregulation, which the body experiences through intravascular PFOCs. Thereby the reader will receive a scientific and easily comprehensible overview why PFOCs are precious tools for so many diverse application areas from cancer therapeutics to blood substitutes up to organ preservation and diving disease.

Abstract Background and aims Therapy that sustains the viability of the ischaemic brain pending definitive reperfusion would be of clinical benefit. Dodecafluoropentane (DDFP) is a perfluorocarbon molecule that is chemically inert, has a large oxygen-carrying capacity, and a low boiling point. Following intravenous administration, increased tissue oxygen of hypoxic tissue has been shown. No safety issues were identified in a small phase 2 dose-ranging study. Methods NOVEL will investigate potential biological effects of DDFP in acute ischaemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion (LVO). Results NOVEL is a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled single blind trial in UK centres. Up to 172 adult patients with acute stroke and imaging confirming LVO (ICA, M1, M2 or PCA P1) and significant perfusion mismatch are randomised 1:1 to 3 intravenous injections of NanO2 (Dodecafluoropentane emulsion, DDFPe) 0.17ml/kg or saline placebo in addition to standard of care. Conclusions The primary endpoint is the volume of ischaemic tissue salvaged on follow-up MRI. Secondary endpoints include early neurological improvement, 90 day modified Rankin Scale, and safety. Conflict of interest

Blunt trauma to the eye can present with varied manifestations involving both the anterior and posterior segments of the eye. Giant retinal tear (GRT) following trauma occurs most commonly at the equatorial region or anterior to the equator. GRT posterior to the equator is rare. To demonstrate the successful management of a post-traumatic posterior GRT and full-thickness macular hole (MH) associated retinal detachment (RD).

Fluorine-19 [.sup.19]F magnetic resonance (MR) molecular imaging is a promising noninvasive and quantitative molecular imaging approach with intensive research due to the high sensitivity and low endogenous background signal of the [.sup.19] atom in vivo. Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) have been used as blood substitutes since 1970s. More recently, a variety of PFC nanoparticles have been designed for the detection and imaging of physiological and pathological changes. These molecular imaging probes have been developed to label cells, target specific epitopes in tumors, monitor the prognosis and therapy efficacy and quantitate characterization of tumors and changes in tumor microenvironment noninvasively, therefore, significantly improving the prognosis and therapy efficacy. Herein, we discuss the recent development and applications of [.sup.19] MR techniques with PFC nanoparticles in biomedicine, with particular emphasis on ligand-targeted and quantitative (19) F MR imaging approaches for tumor detection, oxygenation measurement, smart stimulus response and therapy efficacy monitoring, et al. Keywords: fluorine-19 magnetic resonance imaging, fluorocarbons, nanoparticles, molecular imaging, neoplasms

Decompression illness (DCI) is a complex clinical syndrome caused by supersaturation of respiratory gases in blood and tissues after abrupt reduction in ambient pressure. The resulting formation of gas bubbles combined with pulmonary barotrauma leads to venous and arterial gas embolism. Severity of DCI depends on the degree of direct tissue damage caused by growing bubbles or indirect cell injury by impaired oxygen transport, coagulopathy, endothelial dysfunction, and subsequent inflammatory processes. The standard therapy of DCI requires expensive and not ubiquitously accessible hyperbaric chambers, so there is an ongoing search for alternatives. In theory, perfluorocarbons (PFC) are ideal non-recompressive therapeutics, characterized by high solubility of gases. A dual mechanism allows capturing of excess nitrogen and delivery of additional oxygen. Since the 1980s, numerous animal studies have proven significant benefits concerning survival and reduction in DCI symptoms by intravenous application of emulsion-based PFC preparations. However, limited shelf-life, extended organ retention and severe side effects have prevented approval for human usage by regulatory authorities. These negative characteristics are mainly due to emulsifiers, which provide compatibility of PFC to the aqueous medium blood. The encapsulation of PFC with amphiphilic biopolymers, such as albumin, offers a new option to achieve the required biocompatibility avoiding toxic emulsifiers. Recent studies with PFC nanocapsules, which can also be used as artificial oxygen carriers, show promising results. This review summarizes the current state of research concerning DCI pathology and the therapeutic use of PFC including the new generation of non-emulsified formulations based on nanocapsules.

The toxicity and environmental persistence of anthropogenic per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of global concern. To address legacy PFAS concerns in the United States, industry developed numerous replacement PFAS that commonly are treated as confidential information. To investigate the distribution of PFAS in New Jersey, soils collected from across the state were subjected to nontargeted mass-spectral analyses. Ten chloroperfluoropolyether carboxylates were tentatively identified, with at least three congeners in all samples. Nine congeners are ≥(CF₂)₇. Distinct chemical formulas and structures, as well as geographic distribution, suggest airborne transport from an industrial source. Lighter congeners dispersed more widely than heavier congeners, with the most widely dispersed detected in an in-stock New Hampshire sample. Additional data were used to develop a legacy-PFAS fingerprint for historical PFAS sources in New Jersey.

This paper reports the synthesis of a novel quaternary surfactant containing a hydroxyethyl group (PFPE-C) and the surface properties of its aqueous solution (investigated by comparisons with two structurally similar chemicals, dodecyl-(2-hydroxyethyl)-dimethylammonium chloride (DHDAC) and PFPE-A). The minimum surface tension (γCMC) and critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the PFPE-C aqueous solution were 17.35 mN/m and 0.024 mmol/L, respectively. This study confirms that surfactants containing hydroxyethyl groups efficiently reduce the surface tension of aqueous solutions, and fluorocarbon surfactants exhibit better surface activity than ordinary hydrocarbon surfactants with similar structures. The micellization, aggregation, air-water interfacial adsorption, and wettability of PFPE-C aqueous solutions have been systematically investigated. Highly concentrated PFPE-C aqueous solutions exhibit good wettability on PTFE and paraffin films. Moreover, the aggregates of PFPE-C in the aqueous solution were clearly seen as vesicles on Cryo-TEM micrographs. Primary biodegradation results indicate that 19% of PFPC-C can be degraded within one week.