Successful mycophenolate mofetil therapy in nine patients with idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis

Objective. To assess the therapeutic benefit of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in retroperitoneal fibrosis (RF). Methods. MMF 2 g/day and prednisone 1 mg/kg were initiated in nine patients with radiological (9/9) and histological verification (2/9) of idiopathic RF. Out of nine patients, seven needed bilateral ureteral stenting due to extensive hydronephrosis. Results. All patients experienced regression of radiological extension. Out of seven patients, five were free of ureteral catheters after a mean of 5.6 months and two remained on stenting due to secondary stenosis. Within 6 months mean creatinine and CRP fell from 2.5 to 1.2 mg/dl and from 4.0 to 1.4 mg/dl, respectively. MMF was discontinued after a mean of 27 months. Prednisone was tapered to zero after a mean of 7 months. Side-effects were urinary tract infections in 7/9 patients and impaired glucose tolerance in 3/9. No recurrence occurred after withdrawal of glucocorticoids and MMF in 7/9 patients after a mean overall follow-up of 55 months (range 12-120). Conclusions. Treatment with MMF and glucocorticoids was successful in inducing partial or complete and lasting remission in RF. The results suggest the use of MMF as additional immunosuppressive optio

Using carbon nanodots as inexpensive and environmentally friendly sensitizers in mesoscopic solar cells

We discuss the use of carbon nanodots (CNDs) as sensitizers in mesoscopic solar cells. The CNDs are synthesized using a one-step, bottom-up microwave approach with citric acid, urea, and formic acid as precursors in aqueous media. Their light-harvesting capabilities can be tuned by adjusting the synthetic parameters. Comprehensive spectroscopic and theoretical studies allow us to rationalize the nature of their absorption features. Promising power conversion efficiencies (η) of 0.24% can be achieved from these cheap and eco-friendly sensitizers by optimizing the solar-cell assembly process. Interestingly, we found that extending the light absorption towards longer wavelengths does not necessarily improve the performance of the solar cells, since the longer-wavelength absorption features hardly contribute to the cells' photo-action spectra, so that the overall power conversion efficiency is actually worse. The origin of the lower performance is corroborated in transient absorption spectroscopy and photovoltage decay measurements. Our work points, on one hand, to the limits of as-synthesized CNDs as photosensitizers and, on the other hand, to possible improvements

Investigation of the Hydrolysis of Lithium Bis[1,2-oxalato(2-)-O,O′] Borate (LiBOB) in Water and Acetonitrile by Conductivity and NMR Measurements in Comparison to Some Other Borates

The hydrolysis of lithium bis[1,2-oxalato(2+O,O'] borate (LiBOB) was investigated in pure water and in solutions of acetonitrile at low water content. The reaction in pure water can easily be observed by time-dependent conductivity measurements as protons are generated in the first step of hydrolysis. The results of these measurements can be evaluated according to a reaction of pseudo first order. Hydrolysis of other lithium borates in water was also studied for comparison. In acetonitrile as solvent, hydrolysis is much more complicated. NMR studies show a very slow reaction of LiBOB with water resulting in equilibria, depending on the water content of acetonitrile. Temperatures of 60 degrees C and water contents of several percent are necessary to achieve observable effects

Electroplating of Dysprosium, Electrochemical Investigations, and Study of Magnetic Properties

Electroplating of dysprosium from several nonaqueous solutions and from an ionic liquid was studied. Dysprosium metal was used as the anode material, and several metals and a silicon wafer with a vacuum-deposited gold layer were used as cathode materials. Dysprosium was successfully electroplated from dimethylformamide-based solutions with high coulombic efficiency. The resulting dysprosium layer was effectively protected vs reactions with water and oxygen from air by electroplating an aluminum layer onto dysprosium from a nonaqueous electrolyte. All processes were investigated by electrochemical methods including cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, chronopotentiometry, and with the help of an electrochemical quartz microbalance coupled to an Autolab PGSTAT30 controlled by the GPES software from Eco Chemie B.V., Utrecht, The Netherlands. A nonaqueous reference electrode developed by Izutsu was applied; the diffusion potential was kept low by a slight modification of his original proposal. X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy was used to verify electroplating of Dy. The presence of metallic Dy was also confirmed by superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry which showed a ferromagnetic moment at 5 K

Using carbon nanodots as inexpensive and environmentally friendly sensitizers in mesoscopic solar cells

We discuss the use of carbon nanodots (CNDs) as sensitizers in mesoscopic solar cells. The CNDs are synthesized using a one-step, bottom-up microwave approach with citric acid, urea, and formic acid as precursors in aqueous media. Their light-harvesting capabilities can be tuned by adjusting the synthetic parameters. Comprehensive spectroscopic and theoretical studies allow us to rationalize the nature of their absorption features. Promising power conversion efficiencies (η) of 0.24% can be achieved from these cheap and eco-friendly sensitizers by optimizing the solar-cell assembly process. Interestingly, we found that extending the light absorption towards longer wavelengths does not necessarily improve the performance of the solar cells, since the longer-wavelength absorption features hardly contribute to the cells' photo-action spectra, so that the overall power conversion efficiency is actually worse. The origin of the lower performance is corroborated in transient absorption spectroscopy and photovoltage decay measurements. Our work points, on one hand, to the limits of as-synthesized CNDs as photosensitizers and, on the other hand, to possible improvements