Hydrogen Storage Capacity of Cobalt Cluster Ions.

The adsorption of H2 on gas-phase Con± (n = 5-12) clusters at 300 K and the desorption of H2 from ConHm± upon heating were studied experimentally by combining thermal desorption spectrometry and mass spectrometry to elucidate the hydrogen storage property of the Co clusters. Hydrogen atoms adsorbed well on Con+ (n = 5, 10-12) and Con- (n = 5-12) at 300 K to form ConHm±. The atomic ratios, m/n, for ConHm- (0.9-1.4) were higher than those for ConHm+ (0.2-1.1). According to density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the first few H2 molecules had a tendency to dissociatively adsorb onto the Co clusters. Further, the bonding nature of the H atoms was ionic, similar to the H atoms in the metallic hydrides. In contrast, H2, adsorbed molecularly, was explained in terms of σ complex formation. H2 molecules were desorbed from the clusters upon heating. The temperature dependences showed that ConHm- released H2 at a higher temperature (700-800 K) than ConHm+ (600-700 K), suggesting that Con- should have a higher affinity to hydrogen than Con+. The desorption temperatures were lower than those of VnHm+, which was consistent with the fact that the adsorption energies of H2 were lower for the Co clusters than those for the V clusters. The low adsorption energies were ascribed to their large highest occupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO-LUMO) gaps in the Co clusters.

Side branch embolization before endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair to prevent type II endoleak: A prospective multicenter study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pre-emptive transcatheter arterial embolization (P-TAE) of aortic side branches to prevent type II endoleak in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm after endovascular abdominal aneurysm repair (EVAR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This multicenter, prospective, single-arm trial enrolled 100 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm from nine hospitals between 2018 and 2021. There were 85 men and 15 women, with a mean age of 79.6 ± 6.0 (standard deviation) years (range: 65-97 years). P-TAE was attempted for patent aortic side branches, including the inferior mesenteric artery, lumbar arteries, and other branches. The primary endpoint was late type II endoleak incidence at 6 months post-repair. Secondary endpoints included changes in aneurysmal sac diameter at 6- and 12 months, complications, re-intervention, and aneurysm-related mortality. Aneurysm sac changes at 6- and 12 months was compared between the late and no-late type II endoleak groups. RESULTS: Coil embolization was successful in 80.9% (321/397) of patent aortic side branches, including 86.3% of the inferior mesenteric arteries, 80.3% of lumbar arteries, and 55.6% of other branches without severe adverse events. Late type II endoleak incidence at 6 months was 8.9% (8/90; 95% confidence interval: 3.9-16.8%). Aneurysm sac shrinkage > 5 mm was observed in 41.1% (37/90) and 55.3% (47/85) of the patients at 6- and 12-months post-EVAR, respectively. Patients with late type II endoleak had less aneurysm sac shrinkage than those without type II endoleak at 12 months (-0.2 mm vs. -6.0 mm; P = 0.040). No patients required re-intervention for type II endoleak, and no aneurysm-related mortalities occurred. CONCLUSION: P-TAE is safe and effective in preventing type II endoleak, leading to early sac shrinkage at 12 months following EVAR.

Pre-emptive Aortic Side Branch Embolization during Endovascular Aneurysm Repair Using the Excluder Stent-Graft System: A Prospective Multicenter study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of pre-emptive transcatheter arterial embolization (P-TAE) for aortic side branches (ASBs) to prevent Type 2 endoleaks (EL2) before endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) using the Excluder stent-graft system (Excluder). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective, multicenter study, 80 patients (mean age, 79.1 years [SD ± 6.7]; 85.0% were men; mean aneurysmal sac diameter, 48.4 mm [SD ± 7.4]) meeting the eligibility criteria were prospectively enrolled from 9 hospitals. Before EVAR, P-TAE was performed to embolize the patent ASBs originating from the abdominal aortic aneurysm. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) was performed at 1 month and 6 months after EVAR. The primary endpoint was EL2 incidence at 6 months, and the secondary endpoints were aneurysmal sac diameter changes at 6 and 12 months, P-TAE outcomes, adverse events related to P-TAE, reintervention, and aneurysm-related mortality. RESULTS: All patients successfully underwent P-TAE without serious. Coil embolization was successful in 81.6% of ASBs. EL2 incidence at 6 months was identified in 18 of 70 (25.7%) patients. Aneurysmal sac diameter shrinkage (≥5 mm) was observed in 30.0% of patients at 6 months and in 40.9% at 12 months. Only 1 patient required reintervention for EL2 within 1 year of EVAR; aneurysm-related deaths were not observed. CONCLUSIONS: P-TAE for ASBs before EVAR using Excluder is a safe and effective strategy. It aids in achieving early aneurysmal sac shrinkage and reduces EL2 reintervention at 1 year after EVAR.

A Case of Life-threatening Rupture of Small Renal Angiomyolipoma with an Unidentified Intratumoral Aneurysm during Follow-up.

We report a case of a life-threatening ruptured renal angiomyolipoma (AML) that did not meet the criteria for prophylactic treatment (tumor >4 cm or intratumoral aneurysm >5 mm) during follow-up. A woman in her 70s was followed up for a 2.5-cm AML with a rich vascular component. An intratumoral aneurysm >5 mm was not identified for 2 years. She complained of a sudden abdominal pain with hypotension, and contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed a retroperitoneal hematoma with contrast media extravasation from an intratumoral aneurysm. Emergency transcatheter arterial embolization was successfully performed using N-butyl cyanoacrylate glue. Rupture can occur in small AMLs or in AMLs not identified with intratumoral aneurysms during follow-up. AMLs with a rich vascular component at the kidney surface are more likely to rupture.

Lenvatinib Mitigates Transarterial Embolization-Induced Polarization of Tumor-Associated Macrophages in a Rat Hepatocellular Carcinoma Model.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of transarterial embolization (TAE) on macrophage polarization and the modulatory effect of lenvatinib when used in combination with TAE in a rat hepatocellular carcinoma model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A N1S1-bearing orthotopic rat model was subjected to TAE and administered 5 mg/kg of lenvatinib. CD8+, CD68+, and CD206+ cells were examined in 4 groups: sham (n = 5), lenvatinib (n = 5), TAE (n = 5), and combination of TAE and lenvatinib (n = 5). Transcriptome analysis was performed to assess gene expression related to macrophage polarization in the sham, TAE, and combination groups. An in vitro coculture experiment with bone marrow-derived macrophages was performed to identify lenvatinib target in macrophage polarization. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the number of CD8+ and CD68+ cells among the 4 groups. Tumor-associated macrophage positivity for CD206 was significantly higher in the TAE group (58.1 ± 20.9) than in the sham (11.2 ± 14.3; P < .001) and combination (27.1 ± 19.7; P = .003) groups. In the transcriptome analysis, compared with the genes in the sham group, 5 macrophage polarization-related genes, including St6gal1, were upregulated by more than 1.5 fold in the TAE group and downregulated by more than 1.5 fold in the combination group. The coculture experiment showed that lenvatinib did not affect macrophages but affected N1S1 cells, leading to macrophage polarization. CONCLUSIONS: TAE-induced M2 macrophage polarization. Lenvatinib administration with TAE could reprogram macrophage polarization, improving tumor immune microenvironment.

Open Conversion with Explantation of Stent Grafts After Endovascular Aneurysm Repair for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.

BACKGROUND: Although endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is widely used worldwide, the fact that it is associated with increased rates of reintervention has been considered a problem. This study aimed to analyze the outcomes of primary open AAA repair and open conversion with explantation of stent grafts after EVAR. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we enrolled 1,120 patients (open repair, n = 664; EVAR, n = 456) who underwent AAA repair at Kobe University from 1999 to 2019. Of the 664 patients who underwent open repair, 121 (patients who underwent primary open repair (POR) as a concomitant procedure and patients with ruptured AAA) were excluded from the study. The outcomes of POR were compared with those of open conversion with explantation of stent grafts. RESULTS: Of the 543 patients who underwent open repair, 513 underwent POR and 30 underwent open conversion with explantation of stent grafts. The operation time for POR was significantly less than that for open conversion with explantation. During surgery, patients who underwent open conversion with explantation required significantly more transfusions of red cell concentrate, fresh frozen plasma, and platelet concentrate than those who underwent POR. Overall, 30 patients who underwent open conversion with explantation required a total of 48 reinterventions before surgery. Hospital mortality rates were 0.7% and 0% in the POR and open conversion with explantation groups, respectively (P = 0.62). Although overall survival at 5 years in the POR group was significantly better than that in the open conversion with explantation group (89.3 ± 1.7% vs. 79.5 ± 9.6%; P = 0.01), there were no significant differences between the 2 groups regarding the freedom from aortic event (hospital death, reintervention, and aortic death). According to the multivariate analysis, open conversion with explantation was not an independent risk factor for late death. There were 20 patients who were hesitant to undergo OCE, although we recommended OCE. In a subgroup analysis, the overall mean cost borne by patients who underwent EVAR was approximately 2.3 times higher compared with that borne by patients who underwent POR. CONCLUSIONS: Although demanding, both early and long-term outcomes of OCE have been favorable in our present study. OCE is highly recommended in patients with persistent sac enlargement after EVAR.

Photodestruction Action Spectroscopy of Silver Cluster Anions, AgN- (N = 3-19), with a Linear Ion Trap: Observation of Bound Excited States above the Photodetachment Threshold.

Electron detachment thresholds of metal cluster anions, MN-, are a few electron volts. The excess electron is therefore detached by visible or ultraviolet light, which also creates low-lying bound electronic states, MN-*; i.e., MN-* energetically overlaps with the continuum, MN + e-. Here, we perform action spectroscopy of photodestruction, leading either to photodetachment or to photofragmentation, for size-selected silver cluster anions, AgN- (N = 3-19), to unveil such bound electronic states embedded in the continuum. The experiment takes advantage of a linear ion trap that enables us to measure photodestruction spectra with high quality at well-defined temperatures, where bound excited states, AgN-*, are clearly identified above their vertical detachment energies. Structural optimization of AgN- (N = 3-19) is conducted by using density functional theory (DFT), which is followed by calculations of vertical excitation energies by time-dependent DFT to assign the observed bound states. Spectral evolution observed as a function of cluster size is also discussed, where the optimized geometries are found to be closely related to the observed spectral profiles. A plasmonic band consisting of nearly degenerate individual excitations is observed for N = 19.

Japanese single-center experience of abdominal aortic aneurysm repair over 20 years: should open or endovascular aneurysm repair be performed first?

PURPOSE: The present study analyzed the outcomes of our experience with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair over 20 years using endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) with commercially available devices or open aortic repair (OAR) and reviewed our surgical strategy for AAA. METHODS: From 1999 to 2019, 1077 patients (659 OAR, 418 EVAR) underwent AAA repair. The OAR and EVAR groups were compared retrospectively, and a propensity matching analysis was performed. RESULTS: EVAR was first introduced in 2008. Our strategy was changed to an EVAR-first strategy in 2010. Beginning in 2018, this EVAR-first strategy was changed to an OAR-first strategy. After propensity matching, the overall survival in the OAR group was significantly better than that in the EVAR group at 10 years (p = 0.006). Two late deaths due to AAA rupture were identified in the EVAR group, although there were no significant differences between the OAR and EVAR groups with regard to the freedom from AAA-related death at 10 years. The rate of freedom from aortic events at 10 years was significantly higher in the OAR group than in the EVAR group (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The rates of freedom from AAA-related death in both the OAR and EVAR groups were favorable, and the rate of freedom from aortic events was significantly lower in the EVAR group than in the OAR group. Close long-term follow-up after EVAR is mandatory.

Venous Thromboembolism in Japanese Patients with Gynecologic Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Gynecologic cancer, including cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancer, comprises the fifth leading type of cancer and is an important malignant disease in women. Previous studies in Western countries have reported respective prevalence rates for venous thromboembolism (VTE) of 3.3%-18.7%, 0.8%-8.1%, and 7.2%-20.9%. In this study, we aimed to identify the characteristics associated with VTE in Japanese patients. METHODS: We carried out a retrospective cohort study to compare the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with each gynecologic cancer with and without concomitant VTE. Patients: Patients with cervical, endometrial, or ovarian cancer treated at Fukui Prefectural Hospital, Japan, from April 2010 to March 2020. RESULTS: Among 699 patients with gynecologic cancer, 50 developed VTE within 5 years after their cancer diagnosis, including 16/357 patients with cervical cancer (5.6%), 12/185 with endometrial cancer (6.8%), and 22/157 with ovarian cancer (14.6%). The 1-year mortality rate after symptomatic VTE onset was 47.8%. The VTE group included significantly more older patients and more patients with advanced cancer or poor performance status compared with the non-VTE group. There was no significant difference in the rate of surgical treatment. Symptomatic, but not asymptomatic VTE, was associated with shorter survival. CONCLUSION: Several baseline characteristics differed between patients with and without VTE. The incidences of VTE and some risk factors were similar in Japanese patients with gynecologic cancers compared with patients in other countries. Patients with VTE had some factors that worsened their prognosis, with patients with gynecologic cancer and symptomatic VTE having an especially poor prognosis.

Transcatheter arterial embolization for hemothorax caused by spinal fracture without arterial injury: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Spinal fractures rarely cause hemothorax, and no treatment consensus has been reached. Conservative treatment is generally selected in cases without arterial injury, but there have been some reports of uncontrolled bleeding. Here we report a case of hemothorax caused by spinal fracture without arterial injury treated with transcatheter arterial embolization. CASE PRESENTATION: An 88-year-old Japanese woman with back pain was diagnosed with hemothorax due to bleeding from an unstable fracture of the tenth thoracic vertebra. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed no obvious arterial injury. We performed transcatheter arterial embolization of the bilateral tenth intercostal arteries to prevent rebleeding. The hemothorax did not worsen until surgical spinal fixation 9 days post-transcatheter arterial embolization, and she was discharged 30 days after admission. CONCLUSION: Transcatheter arterial embolization for hemothorax caused by spinal fractures without obvious arterial injury may be a useful bridge to spinal fixation.

NO Bond Cleavage on Gas-Phase Irn+ Clusters Investigated by Infrared Multiple Photon Dissociation Spectroscopy.

The adsorption forms of NO on Irn+ (n = 3-6) clusters were investigated using infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Spectral features indicative both for molecular NO adsorption (the NO stretching vibration in the 1800-1900 cm-1 range) and for dissociative NO adsorption (the terminal Ir-O vibration around 940 cm-1) were observed, elucidating the co-existence of molecular and dissociative adsorption of NO. In all calculated structures for molecular adsorption, NO is adsorbed via the N atom on on-top sites. For dissociative adsorption, the O atom adsorbs exclusively on on-top sites (µ1) of the clusters, whereas the N atom is found on either a bridge (µ2) or a hollow (µ3) site. For Ir5+ and Ir6+, the N atom is also found on the on-top sites. The observed propensity for NO dissociation on Irn+ (n = 3-6) is higher than that for Rh6+, which can be explained by the higher metal-oxygen bond strengths for iridium.

Spinal cord ischemia after elective endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in a patient with multiple occlusions of the intercostal and internal iliac arteries.

Spinal cord ischemia (SCI) after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair is a rare but devastating complication. Occlusion of the artery of Adamkiewicz or feeders to the collateral network for spinal cord circulation (such as the subclavian, intercostal, lumbar, and internal iliac arteries) is associated with the onset of SCI. We present a case of monoplegia owing to SCI after elective endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair with coil embolization of the left internal iliac artery in an elderly patient with a history of arteriosclerosis obliterans and aortic dissection, preoperatively occluding multiple intercostal arteries and the right internal iliac artery.

Outcomes of the Gore Excluder Iliac Branch Endoprosthesis for Japanese Patients With Aortoiliac Aneurysms: A Study Based on J-Preserve Registry.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical utility of the Gore Excluder iliac branch endoprosthesis (IBE) for Japanese patients with aortoiliac aneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study (J-Preserve Registry). Patients undergoing endovascular aortic repair using the Gore Excluder IBE for aortoiliac aneurysms between August 2017 and June 2020 were enrolled. Data pertaining to the baseline and anatomical characteristics, technical details, and clinical outcomes were collected from each institution. The primary endpoints were technical success, IBE-related complications, and reinterventions. Secondary endpoints were mortality, aneurysm size change, and reintervention during follow-up. Technical success was defined as accurate deployment of the IBE without type Ib, Ic, or III endoleaks on the IBE sides on completion angiography. A change in aneurysm size of 5 mm or more was taken to be a significant change. RESULTS: We included 141 patients with 151 IBE implantations. Sixty-five IBE implantations (43.0%) had at least one instruction for use violation. Twenty-two patients (15.6%) required internal iliac artery (IIA) embolization for external iliac artery extension on the contralateral side. Of 151 IBE implantations, 19 exhibited IIA branch landing zones due to IIA aneurysms. Mean maximum and proximal common iliac artery (CIA) diameters were 32.9±9.9 mm and 20.5±6.9 mm, respectively. The mean CIA length was 59.1±17.1 mm. The IIA landing diameter and length were 9.0±2.3 mm and 33.8±14.6 mm. The overall technical success rate was 96.7%. There were no significant differences in IBE-related complications (2.3% vs 5.3%, p=0.86) or IBE-related reinterventions (1.5% vs 5.3%, p=0.33) between the IIA trunk and IIA branch landing groups. The mean follow-up period was 635±341 days. The all-cause mortality rate was 5.0%. There were no aneurysm-related deaths or ruptures during the follow-up. Most patients (95.7%) had sac stability or shrinkage. CONCLUSION: The Gore Excluder IBE was safe and effective for Japanese patients in the midterm. Extending the IIA device into the distal branches of the IIA was acceptable, which may permit extending indications for endovascular aortic aneurysm repair of aortoiliac aneurysms to more complex lesions. CLINICAL IMPACT: This study suggests clinical benefits of the Gore Excluder IBE for Japanese patients, despite 43% of the IBE implantations having at least one IFU violation.

Adsorption Forms of NO on Iridium-Doped Rhodium Clusters in the Gas Phase Revealed by Infrared Multiple Photon Dissociation Spectroscopy.

The adsorption of an NO molecule on a cationic iridium-doped rhodium cluster, Rh5Ir+, was investigated by infrared multiple photon dissociation spectroscopy (IRMPD) of Rh5IrNO+·Arp complexes in the 300-2000 cm-1 spectral range, where the Ar atoms acted as a messenger signaling IR absorption. Complementary density functional theory (DFT) calculations predicted two near-isoenergetic structures as the putative global minimum: one with NO adsorbed in molecular form in the on-top configuration on the Ir atom in Rh5Ir+, and one where NO is dissociated with the O atom bound to the Ir atom in the on-top configuration and the N atom on a hollow site formed by three Rh atoms. A comparison between the experimental IRMPD spectrum of Rh5IrNO+ and calculated spectra indicated that NO mainly adsorbs molecularly on Rh5Ir+, but evidence was also found for structures with dissociatively adsorbed NO. The estimated fraction of Rh5IrNO+ structures with dissociatively adsorbed NO is approximately 10%, which was higher than that found for Rh6+, but lower than that for Ir6+. The DFT calculations indicated the existence of an energy barrier in the NO dissociation pathway that is exothermic with respect to the reactants, which was considered to prevent NO from dissociating readily on Rh5Ir+. The height of the barrier is lower than that for NO dissociation over Rh6+, which is attributed to the higher binding energy of atomic O to the Ir atom in Rh5Ir+ than to a Rh atom in Rh6+.

Retrospective study of thoracic endovascular aortic repair as a first-line treatment for traumatic blunt thoracic aortic injury.

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to confirm if thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) was an appropriate therapeutic strategy for blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI). METHODS: Between 3/2005 and 12/2020, 104 patients with BTAI were brought to our hospital. The severity of each trauma case was evaluated using the Injury Severity Score (ISS); aortic injuries were classified as type I to IV according to Society for Vascular Surgery guidelines. Initial treatment was categorized into four groups: nonoperative management (NOM), open aortic repair (OAR), TEVAR, or emergency room thoracotomy/cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ERT/CPR). RESULTS: The patients' mean age and ISS were 56.7 ± 20.9 years and 48.3 ± 20.4, respectively. Type III or IV aortic injury were diagnosed in 82 patients. The breakdown of initial treatments was as follows: NOM for 28 patients, OAR for four, TEVAR for 47, and ERT/CPR for 25. The overall early mortality rate was 32.7%. Logistic regression analysis confirmed ISS > 50 and shock on admission as risk factors for early mortality. The cumulative survival rate of all patients was 61.2% at 5 years after treatment. After initial treatment, eight patients receiving TEVAR required OAR. The cumulative rate of freedom from reintervention using TEVAR at 5 years was higher in approved devices than in custom-made devices (96.0 vs. 56.3%, p = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Using TEVAR as an initial treatment for patients with BTAI is a reasonable approach. Patients with severe multiple traumas and shock on admission had poor early outcomes, and those treated with custom-made devices required significant rates of reintervention.

Major and minor complications of the pancreas after transcatheter arterial embolization using n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate for acute bleeding from pancreatic arteries.

PURPOSE: The purpose is to investigate the major and minor complications of the pancreas after transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) using n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (NBCA) for bleeding from pancreatic arteries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-three patients who underwent TAE using NBCA for acute bleeding from pancreatic arteries and their parent arteries followed by contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CE-CT) were evaluated retrospectively. Complications and risk factors were assessed using Mann-Whitney U test or Fisher's exact test for the univariate analysis. Patients' characteristic, embolized artery, procedure details, and clinical outcomes were examined as possible risk factors. RESULTS: TAE was performed successfully in all patients. Minor pancreatic complications occurred in 10 patients (30%), including acute mild pancreatitis (n = 4) and focal lack of pancreatic parenchymal enhancement on CE-CT without pancreatitis (n = 6). No cases of major pancreatic complications, such as moderate/severe pancreatitis, were reported. Embolized artery was the only significant risk factor. The rate of complications per embolized artery were 15% (three out of 20 patients) in the arteries of the pancreatic head and 54% (seven out of 13 patients) in the arteries of pancreatic body and tail (p = 0.025). CONCLUSION: TAE using NBCA for acute bleeding from pancreatic arteries is efficacious and safe. Mild pancreatic complications were observed more frequently in case of embolization of the pancreatic body and tail region than the pancreatic head.

Decomposition of nitric oxide by rhodium cluster cations at high temperatures.

Decomposition reactions of NO molecules on gas-phase Rhn+ (n = 6-9) clusters were investigated by gas-phase thermal desorption spectrometry and density functional theory calculations. We found that NO adsorbs on the clusters, forming RhnNxOx+ at room temperature. Upon heating, NO desorption was observed below 800 K. Above 800 K, while for n = 7 and 8, each of Rh7N3O3+, Rh7N4O4+, and Rh8N3O3+ was found to release an N2 molecule, no N2 formation was clearly observed for Rh6,9NxOy+. We considered that both Rh7N3O3+ and Rh8N3O3+ have at least two dissociated NO molecules, while Rh6NxOx+ (x = 1-3) has one or less. Our computational results for Rh8N3O3+ suggested that the formation of an N-N bond in the Rh8N3O3+ structure must overcome an energy barrier of ∼2 eV, which is the highest among the suggested possible reaction pathways. These findings suggested that the size-dependent activity of NO decomposition is governed primarily by how NO molecules are adsorbed on Rhn+ clusters, i.e. whether two or more N atoms from dissociated NO molecules exist in the NO adsorbed clusters, and secondly, by the readiness of the N-N bond formation.

Venous Thromboembolism in Japanese Patients With Pancreatic Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Japan. Previous studies from other countries have reported venous thromboembolism prevalence rates of 12 to 36% in patients with pancreatic cancer. In this study, we aimed to determine the incidence of VTE in patients with PDAC in Japan and compare the characteristics of patients with and without VTE. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, clinicopathological characteristics of patients with and without concomitant VTE were compared. PATIENTS: Patients with PDAC treated at Fukui Prefectural Hospital, Japan from 2010 to 2019. RESULTS: The 1-year survival rate of all patients with pancreatic cancer was 40.7%. Among 432 patients with PDAC, 31 developed VTE. Seventeen (55%) patients received anticoagulant therapy. Compared with the non-VTE group, the VTE group had significantly more patients whose body mass index was >25 kg/m² (p = .035) and had a significantly higher rate of chemotherapy (p = .024). There was no significant difference in median survival time from PDAC diagnosis between the VTE and non-VTE groups. The 6-month mortality rate after VTE diagnosis was 54.8%. PDAC-related death was the most frequent cause of death, and thrombus-related death was not observed. CONCLUSION: Several baseline characteristics differed between patients with and without VTE. The incidence of VTE in patients with PDAC is high. However, because the prognosis of PDAC itself remains quite poor, VTE may not have a significant effect on prognosis.

Structures of Nitrogen Oxides Attached to Anionic Gold Clusters Au4- Revealed by Infrared Multiple Photon Dissociation Spectroscopy.

The adsorption forms of NO and NO2 on anionic Au4- clusters were investigated by a combination of IR multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. For all three species investigated (Au4NO-, Au4N2O2-, and Au4NO2-), the spectra were found to be consistent with a Y-shaped Au4- cluster with triangular Au3 and one Au atom sticking out, on which NO and NO2 molecules adsorb molecularly. These species are considered as intermediates of the Au4--mediated disproportionation reaction of NO, Au4(NO)3- → Au4(NO2)(N2O)-. We discuss the reaction path on the basis of the found geometries and energies and conclude that the disproportionation reaction of NO can occur catalytically on the Au4- cluster.