High Flux (high + flux)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Beta-2-Microglobulin in nocturnal hemodialysis , A comparative study in low and high flux dialysers

HEMODIALYSIS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2005
A.B. Reid
In end-stage renal failure, impaired renal catabolism leads to retention of beta 2 microglobulin (ß2M), identified as the major constituent of hemodialysis (HD) related amyloidosis. It has been previously shown that, while using a high flux (HF) HD membrane, nocturnal hemodialysis (NHD) with its increased time and frequency provides a much higher clearance of ß2M compared to conventional HD. We compared serum ß2M levels between low flux (LF) and HF in a group of 9 NHD patients who dialyse 8 hours 6 nights/week. Fresenius polysulfone LF membrane size F6-F8 HPS dialyser were used for the first 15 months (mth) of NHD (SA 1.3,1.8 m2). Subsequently, polysulfone HF FX80 dialyzer were used (SA 1.8 m2). Blood flow and dialysate flow rates were unchanged throughout the study. ß2M levels were measured at 6, 12, 15 mth on LF and at 6, 12 mth on HF. Albumin, homocysteine (Hcy), and phosphate (Phos) levels were also recorded at these times. ß2M levels trended upwards during the 15 mth on LF (36.6 ± 10.57 at 6 mth vs 47.1 ± 11.7 at 15 mth). On introduction of HF, there was a significant fall in ß2M at 6 mth to 12.4 ± 3.5 (p < 0.003), while ß2M levels were unchanged at 12 mth of HF. A downward trend in Hcy levels with the use of HF was noted (12.9 ± 2.9 at 0 mth Vs 11.1 ± 3.7 at 12 mth). Plasma albumin and Phos levels remained unchanged as did the use of Phos supplementation. Levels of ß2M continued to rise on NHD with LF, indicating inadequate clearance. With the introduction of HF there was a significant fall in ß2M levels consistent with improved clearance. The implications of this are that ß2M clearance may be time and frequency dependent only if dialyser membrane flux is adequate. [source]


A dedicated small-angle X-ray scattering beamline with a superconducting wiggler source at the NSRRC

JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION, Issue 1 2009
Din-Goa Liu
At the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC), which operates a 1.5,GeV storage ring, a dedicated small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) beamline has been installed with an in-achromat superconducting wiggler insertion device of peak magnetic field 3.1,T. The vertical beam divergence from the X-ray source is reduced significantly by a collimating mirror. Subsequently the beam is selectively monochromated by a double Si(111) crystal monochromator with high energy resolution (,E/E, 2 × 10,4) in the energy range 5,23,keV, or by a double Mo/B4C multilayer monochromator for 10,30 times higher flux (,1011,photons,s,1) in the 6,15,keV range. These two monochromators are incorporated into one rotating cradle for fast exchange. The monochromated beam is focused by a toroidal mirror with 1:1 focusing for a small beam divergence and a beam size of ,0.9,mm × 0.3 mm (horizontal × vertical) at the focus point located 26.5,m from the radiation source. A plane mirror installed after the toroidal mirror is selectively used to deflect the beam downwards for grazing-incidence SAXS (GISAXS) from liquid surfaces. Two online beam-position monitors separated by 8,m provide an efficient feedback control for an overall beam-position stability in the 10,µm range. The beam features measured, including the flux density, energy resolution, size and divergence, are consistent with those calculated using the ray-tracing program SHADOW. With the deflectable beam of relatively high energy resolution and high flux, the new beamline meets the requirements for a wide range of SAXS applications, including anomalous SAXS for multiphase nanoparticles (e.g. semiconductor core-shell quantum dots) and GISAXS from liquid surfaces. [source]


Accumulation of Mycosporine-like Amino Acids in Asparagopsis armata Grown in Tanks with Fishpond Effluents of Gilthead Sea Bream, Sparus aurata

JOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 5 2008
Félix L. Figueroa
Both the effects of total ammonium nitrogen (TAN) fluxes and the algal densities on MAA accumulation were investigated. MAAs increased with the TAN flux, but only until values lower than 100 ,M/h. Above this flux, the MAA content decreased, whereas algal yield increased. The content of individual MAAs was related to nitrogen (N) status, that is, shinorine percentage slightly decreased and palythine increased with increasing N fluxes. The decrease of MAAs at high flux of N (up to 100 ,M/h) is related to the decrease of water residence time and the decrease of the biofiltration efficiency. Under different TAN fluxes and algal densities, MAA content was negatively related to algal yield indicating that MAAs were accumulated only under a high ammonium-N availability. Thus, an energy allocation between growth (primary metabolism) and MAA accumulation (secondary metabolism) is regulated by the absorption capacity of inorganic N. In conclusion, A. armata, in addition to its high biofiltration capacity of nutrients, is a good source of MAAs as potential UV screen photoprotectors. [source]


Activation of large lons in FT-ICR mass spectrometry

MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS, Issue 2 2005
Julia Laskin
Abstract The advent of soft ionization techniques, notably electrospray and laser desorption ionization methods, has enabled the extension of mass spectrometric methods to large molecules and molecular complexes. This both greatly extends the applications of mass spectrometry and makes the activation and dissociation of complex ions an integral part of these applications. This review emphasizes the most promising methods for activation and dissociation of complex ions and presents this discussion in the context of general knowledge of reaction kinetics and dynamics largely established for small ions. We then introduce the characteristic differences associated with the higher number of internal degrees of freedom and high density of states associated with molecular complexity. This is reflected primarily in the kinetics of unimolecular dissociation of complex ions, particularly their slow decay and the higher energy content required to induce decomposition,the kinetic shift (KS). The longer trapping time of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) significantly reduces the KS, which presents several advantages over other methods for the investigation of dissociation of complex molecules. After discussing general principles of reaction dynamics related to collisional activation of ions, we describe conventional ways to achieve single- and multiple-collision activation in FT-ICR MS. Sustained off-resonance irradiation (SORI),the simplest and most robust means of introducing the multiple collision activation process,is discussed in greatest detail. Details of implementation of this technique, required control of experimental parameters, limitations, and examples of very successful application of SORI-CID are described. The advantages of high mass resolving power and the ability to carry out several stages of mass selection and activation intrinsic to FT-ICR MS are demonstrated in several examples. Photodissociation of ions from small molecules can be effected using IR or UV/vis lasers and generally requires tuning lasers to specific wavelengths and/or utilizing high flux, multiphoton excitation to match energy levels in the ion. Photodissociation of complex ions is much easier to accomplish from the basic physics perspective. The quasi-continuum of vibrational states at room temperature makes it very easy to pump relatively large amounts of energy into complex ions and infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) is a powerful technique for characterizing large ions, particularly biologically relevant molecules. Since both SORI-CID and IRMPD are slow activation methods they have many common characteristics. They are also distinctly different because SORI-CID is intrinsically selective (only ions that have a cyclotron frequency close to the frequency of the excitation field are excited), whereas IRMPD is not (all ions that reside on the optical path of the laser are excited). There are advantages and disadvantages to each technique and in many applications they complement each other. In contrast with these slow activation methods, the less widely appreciated activation method of surface induced dissociation (SID) appears to offer unique advantages because excitation in SID occurs on a sub-picosecond time scale, instantaneously relative to the observation time of any mass spectrometer. Internal energy deposition is quite efficient and readily adjusted by altering the kinetic energy of the impacting ion. The shattering transition,instantaneous decomposition of the ion on the surface,observed at high collision energies enables access to dissociation channels that are not accessible using SORI-CID or IRMPD. Finally, we discuss some approaches for tailoring the surface to achieve particular aims in SID. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Mass Spec Rev 24:135,167, 2005 [source]


Effect of antibody solution conditions on filter performance for virus removal filter PlanovaÔ 20N

BIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRESS, Issue 4 2010
Tomoko Hongo-Hirasaki
Abstract We investigated the effect of antibody solution conditions (ionic strength, pH, IgG concentration, buffer composition, and aggregate level (dimer content)) on filter performance for a virus removal filtration process using the PlanovaÔ 20N, a virus removal filter. Ionic strength and pH affected the filter flux. A consistent high flux was maintained at an ionic strength greater than 10 mM and at pH 4,8 under a typical buffer composition (sodium chloride, citrate, acetate, and phosphate). Optimum IgG concentration was 10,20 mg/mL allowing for high throughput (kg/m2 of IgG). Dimer content negligibly affected the flux level. Under high throughput conditions, virus spiking did not affect flux whereas a parvovirus logarithmic reduction value greater than 5 was maintained. From the results of zeta potential analyses for IgG and the membrane, we considered that electrostatic interactions between antibodies and the membrane affect filter performance (flux level and throughput). These results indicate that the PlanovaÔ 20N filter is applicable for a wide range of solution conditions typically used in antibody processing. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2010 [source]


Counting statistics of X-ray detectors at high counting rates

JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION, Issue 3 2003
David Laundy
Modern synchrotron radiation sources with insertion devices and focusing optics produce high fluxes of X-rays at the sample, which leads to a requirement for photon-counting detectors to operate at high counting rates. With high counting rates there can be significant non-linearity in the response of the detector to incident X-ray flux, where this non-linearity is caused by the overlap of the electronic pulses that are produced by each X-ray. A model that describes the overlap of detector pulses is developed in this paper. This model predicts that the correction to the counting rate for pulse overlap is the same as a conventional dead-time correction. The model is also used to calculate the statistical uncertainty of a measurement and predicts that the error associated with a measurement can be increased significantly over that predicted by Poisson () statistics. The error differs from that predicted by a conventional dead-time treatment. [source]